SERVES 4 TO 6 · VEGETARIAN, VEGAN ADAPTABLE, GF ADAPTABLE, DF ADAPTABLE
Since I grew up in a 100 percent Italian home, it was impossible for me to write a cookbook without a pasta recipe. As a child, we probably ate pasta three or four times a week, and I can’t say I didn’t love that. However (and my father might like to challenge me on this), pasta is a high-carbohydrate, processed food and one that is very easy to overeat. So, my strategy these days is to use whole-grain or legume-based pasta and incorporate a ton of vegetables into the dish. I cook pasta al dente, which means “to the tooth” and calls for pasta to have a little resistance when bitten, and not be overly soft. Al dente pasta also has a lower glycemic index than overcooked pasta. You can also adapt this recipe to spaghetti squash.
1½ pounds any type of kale (about 2 large bunches), washed well and stemmed
Kosher salt
1 pound whole-grain pasta, such as fusilli or strozzapreti, or GF pasta of choice
½ cup raw walnuts (see here for substitutions)
¼ cup unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more if you want it spicy
Zest of 2 lemons (about 1 tablespoon)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup high-quality ricotta cheese (not vegan/DF) or vegan ricotta
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt and the kale. Cook the kale until tender, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, pull the kale from the water and place in a colander to drain. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess moisture from the kale using a thin kitchen towel or a fine-mesh sieve and the back of a large spoon, and chop the kale on a cutting board.
2. Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta. Start stirring the pasta immediately and continue to stir until the water comes back up to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Usually this is 9 to 11 minutes. Remove 1 cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain the pasta.
3. In a large, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Do not leave the walnuts alone! Transfer to a cutting board and chop.
4. In the same skillet in which you toasted the walnuts, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook until fragrant but not golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the lemon zest and toasted walnuts and turn off the heat.
5. Add the chopped kale to the garlic mixture, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt plus a few grinds of black pepper.
6. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Add a little reserved pasta water to moisten the pasta. Start with ¼ cup.
7. Finish the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil and either stir in the ricotta or pass it on the side.
ASK PAMELA: How do I prevent my pasta from sticking? Adding olive oil to the pasta water does not keep pasta from sticking. Once you add the pasta to boiling water, you must stir it constantly until the water comes back to a boil and then stir occasionally until done.
TIP: The finished dish can be drizzled with plain olive oil or lemon-infused olive oil.