Spaghetti With Kale Food

DRUNKEN SPAGHETTI WITH BLACK KALE

Steps:

• Pour the whole bottle of wine into a pasta pot and add about the same amount of water. Salt the liquid and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente. Heads up: Remove and reserve 1 cup of cooking water just before draining.
• Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat with the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic and swirl it around for 2 minutes more. Add the kale, let it wilt and then season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, to taste. Add the reserved cooking liquid, drained pasta and the grated cheese. Toss vigorously for at least a full minute, then serve in shallow bowls. Pass the Pecorino to shave over the pasta at the table.

SPAGHETTI WITH KALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, strip kale leaves from ribs and stems, then tear leaves crosswise into 2"-3" pieces. Cook kale in boiling water until bright green and slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer kale to a colander and rinse under cold water, tossing; squeeze out excess liquid from leaves. Keep water at a boil (you'll use it for the pasta).
• Whack garlic with the side of a chef's knife to crush; peel off skins. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Season very generously with black pepper and cook, smashing with a wooden spoon, until cloves break into rough pieces, soften, and look golden. Add kale to pot and cook, stirring often, until darkened in color and very tender, about 8 minutes (garlic will break into even smaller pieces). Season with kosher salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (2-3 minutes less than package directions).
• Using tongs, add pasta to kale; splash in about 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce lightly coats pasta, about 2 minutes.
• Serve pasta topped with Parmesan, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and more black pepper.

KILLER KALE PASTA

Steps:

• Place the bell peppers over the flame of a gas burner to char, turning, 3 to 4 minutes per side (or char the peppers under the broiler, turning, 5 minutes). Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow the peppers to steam about 10 minutes. Once cool to the touch, remove the peppers from the bowl and pull off the charred skin and stems and remove the seeds. Slice and set aside until ready to use.
• Set a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then the shallots and garlic; season with salt and pepper and cook until the garlic is fragrant and the shallots are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and wine and cook until most of the wine has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and the roasted red peppers. Mix well and bring to a steady boil, then reduce the heat so the sauce simmers.
• Meanwhile, prepare the kale by removing and discarding the stems; tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Fold the kale into the tomato sauce along with the chicken and toss to combine. Cover and cook until the kale has wilted, about 5 minutes. If the sauce seems dry, add the chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time. Continue cooking, covered, until the kale is tender, all the flavors have come together and the sauce is thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and add it directly to the Dutch oven with the finished sauce. Drizzle in some olive oil. Cook over low heat, tossing to coat everything, 2 to 3 minutes. (This allows the last cooking of the pasta to be done in the sauce.) Add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed. Serve the pasta in large bowls and top with spoonfuls of parmesan, more red pepper flakes and another drizzle of olive oil.

TOASTED SPAGHETTI MINESTRA WITH TUSCAN KALE

Steps:

• Place the mushrooms, stock and 2 cups water in a pot and bring to a gentle simmer to reconstitute the mushrooms.
• Heat a soup pot over medium to medium-high heat with the olive oil. Melt the butter into the oil and add the pasta pieces. Brown the pasta until nutty and very fragrant. Remove the browned pasta and reserve in an airtight container for a make-ahead meal. If you are making the soup the same night you are serving it, leave it in the pot.
• Add the garlic, celery, carrots and onions to the pot, season with salt and pepper and partially cover the pan to sweat vegetables, 7 to 8 minutes. Wilt in the kale and season with a little freshly grated nutmeg.
• Remove the reconstituted mushrooms from the stock with a slotted spoon. Chop the mushrooms and add to the kale and vegetables. Add all but the last few spoonfuls of the soaking liquid to the soup pot. Add the beans and bring to a simmer.
• Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. To serve, simmer the pasta in the soup until al dente. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and top with grated cheese.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH KALE PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Halve and seed the spaghetti squash; roast, then scrape into strands (see Cook's Note).
• Meanwhile, toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
• Pulse the kale, parsley, garlic, raisins and 2 tablespoons of the toasted nuts in a blender or food processor until combined. Add 1/4 cup olive oil; blend until smooth. Add 1/3 cup water, the parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Pulse until the pesto comes together, adding up to 3 more tablespoons water to loosen, if necessary; season with more salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spaghetti squash and cook, stirring, until coated. Add 3/4 cup of the kale pesto. Stir to coat, adding up to 1/2 cup water to loosen; season with salt and pepper. Top the squash with the remaining toasted nuts and more parmesan.