Kale Pasta Sauce (Joshua McFadden\'s Recipe)

This shockingly easy, utterly tasty, and vibrant green-hued kale pasta
sauce with olive oil and garlic is the ideal mid-week lunch or dinner.
Recipe very slightly adapted from Joshua McFadden\'s Six Seasons
Cookbook.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time21 minutes mins
Total Time26 minutes mins
Servings: 2 large servings
Calories: 662kcal
Author: Karishma Pradhan
Equipment

    Immersion blender Or a stand blender

Ingredients

    2 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
    ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
    Kosher salt and black pepper
    1 pound kale any variety works here; thick ribs/tough stems
removed**
    8 ounces dried pasta such as rigatoni or pappardelle
    ¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

    Set a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.
    Prepare the garlic oil: Add garlic and ¼ cup olive oil to a small
skillet.
    Place over medium heat, and saute until the garlic begins to
sizzle. Immediately reduce the heat to low, and cook until garlic is
light golden-brown, soft, and aromatic (about 5 - 7 minutes).
    Remove from the heat, and transfer to a large blender cup or the
base of a stand blender. Set aside.
    Cook the kale: Once the water is boiling, generously season with
salt. Add the kale and boil until tender but not mushy, about 5
minutes.
    Use tongs to remove kale from the pot (they will be wet, it\'s
ok!) and carefully transfer to the blender cup/base.
    Cook the pasta: To the boiling water, add the pasta and cook until
al dente, per package directions.
    Transfer 1 cup of the pasta water to a heatproof measuring cup.
    Drain the pasta, then transfer back to the pot.
    Blend the sauce: Blend the kale, oil, and garlic until it
resembles a thick puree. Continue blending, adding about a tablespoon
of pasta water at a time, until you achieve a uniform, silky texture.
Don\'t rush this; you want a very smooth sauce. Season with salt and
pepper to taste.
    Note: Use caution with hot liquids in a stand blender. Prior to
blending, remove the small cap from the blender\'s lid and cover the
opening with a kitchen towel to safely release steam. Initiate the
blending process at a low speed, slowly increasing the speed in stages
to prevent splashing and to ensure a consistent puree
    Finish the pasta: Toss half of the kale puree with the drained
pasta and half of the grated cheese. If the sauce feels dry, stir in
more kale puree.
    If needed, add a bit more reserved pasta water to thin out the
sauce until it\'s saucy and nicely clings to the noodles. Season with
salt and pepper.
    Note: If your sauce feels way too loose, you can put the pot back
on low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens.
    Serve: Divide the pasta into serving bowls, drizzle with a bit of
olive oil, and garnish with the remaining cheese.

Notes

    ** TIP: Don\'t discard your kale stems! Leftover kale stems can be
stored in the freezer and used to make vegetable broth! You can also
chop them up finely and add to stir-fries or pasta. 
    Depending on the type of kale and how much pasta water you use,
you may end up with a good amount of leftover sauce. 
    Leftover kale sauce will last 2 - 3 days in the fridge stored in
an airtight container. I don\'t recommend reheating the sauce, but you
can bring it to room temperature, then toss it with fresh, hot pasta.
    Here are some other ideas with the leftover sauce: drizzle the
sauce on roasted vegetables or mix with yogurt for a fun dip.