Tomato Tomatoe

cavolo nero rigatoni

I first saw a recipe similar to this one from a few British chef’s (Jamie Oliver and Thomas Straker). The gorgeous colour from this pasta immediately drew me in and I knew I had to try it. This pasta is so great because it uses a few ingredients and can be made in about 15 minutes. Italian cooking is all about using simple and good quality ingredients. The star of the this pasta is of course the cavolo nero, also referred to as Tuscan kale, dinosaur kale or black kale. This kale is one of my favourite varieties and it’s commonly found in Tuscany in minestrone and ribollita soup. I first made this pasta in early March and it really got me excited for spring and all of the gorgeous produce that will soon be filling the markets. Give this one a try and I know you’ll love the simplicity and comfort that this pasta will bring.

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cavolo nero rigatoni

Ingredients

• 1 box dried rigatoni
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 5 cloves garlic
• 400 g cavolo nero (Tuscan kale)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for serving
• 1 cup fresh ricotta
• Good quality olive oil for drizzling

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the stems from the kale and peel the garlic. Blanch the kale and garlic in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the kale and garlic and add directly to a blender. Add olive oil and blend until smooth.
2. In the same pot of boiling water, add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than what the package says.
3. Heat a large pan to medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil and butter. Once the butter is bubbly add the shallots and sauté for a few minutes. Add this to the kale purée and blend until smooth.
4. While the pasta continues to cook, remove 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Heat the same large pan to medium low heat and add the kale purée and the pasta. Toss this all together for a few minutes and add about 1/2 cup of pasta water (add more if the sauce is too thick). Toss until creamy and glossy. Off the heat stir in the parmesan cheese.
5. Add freshly grated parmesan. Serve with a spoonful of fresh ricotta and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.