Fresh Cavatelli & Kale Fill 1 Created with Sketch.

with Fried Rosemary & Walnuts

Fresh Cavatelli & Kale Fill 1 Created with Sketch.

with Fried Rosemary & Walnuts

Fresh cavatelli, a type of southern Italian pasta, shines in tonight’s fall-forward dish. We’re tossing it in a lightly creamy sauce along with kale—yours may be green curly, dark green lacinato, or red. A topping of rosemary and walnuts, pan-fried for deeper flavor and crispy texture, completes the dish on a gourmet note.

30 minutes

Ingredients

10 oz Fresh Cavatelli Pasta
2 Garlic
1 Kale
1 Rosemary
1 Shallot
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tbsp Verjus Blanc
1/4 c Heavy Cream
1/4 c Roasted Walnuts
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients:

Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Pick the rosemary leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Roughly chop the walnuts. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Remove and discard the kale stems; roughly chop the leaves.

Fry the rosemary & walnuts:

In a large pan, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that a rosemary leaf sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add the rosemary and walnuts. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the rosemary is crispy and the walnuts are golden brown. Leaving any oil in the pan, transfer the fried rosemary and walnuts to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately season with salt and pepper.

Cook the kale:

Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil, the shallot, and the garlic to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the kale and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the kale has wilted. Add the verjus (be careful, as the liquid may splatter) and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the liquid has cooked off. Add the heavy cream (shaking the bottle before opening) and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta:

While the kale cooks, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water; cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly.

Finish the pasta & plate your dish:

Add the cooked pasta, butter, and half the reserved pasta cooking water to the pan of cooked kale. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is thoroughly coated. (If the pasta seems dry, gradually add the remaining cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished pasta between 2 dishes. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with the fried rosemary and walnuts. Garnish with the cheese. Enjoy!