I have long been a fan of kale- well before it became in vogue to be a fan of kale. The reason I have been a fan of kale really has little to do with the nutritional properties, rather, it’s because of the fact that I can grow it easily! Kale grows pretty effortlessly in my gardens, and is one of those vegetables that you can cut off one plant all season long, and it keeps growing. When frost comes in the fall, there is no need to cover the kale, as it is hearty and actually tastes sweeter and more delicious after being kissed by a frost. In addition, because it’s such a sturdy green, it freezes nicely, to be added to soups and stews and pasta dishes all winter long. My preferred variety of kale is lacinato kale, or dinosaur kale. It is less attractive to cabbage moths, and I think it has a less bitter flavor when cooked.
My husband, on the other hand, has been quick to tell me that he is not a fan of kale after an experience with it that he’d rather not divulge details about. However, after our success with the collard greens the other day, I just had to dive into the kale- especially after I was given a bunch of it from someone going on vacation. I wanted to use up the bunch of kale I was given, AND hopefully come up with some ideas to use it that I could use in the future with the many plants growing in my garden. (Yes, I have a few too many kale plants this year.)
Pasta is always a winner here, and while I’ve eaten it out, I’ve never made a puttanesca here at home. This was going to be a gamble, because the flavors and the ingredients in a puttanesca are SO pronounced that you kind of either love it or hate it. As I was cooking it up, both kids were intrigued. They really found the capers interesting, and when I said they tasted like a little pickle, they were both game to try them. I was corrected and told they taste like dilly beans- which are a win for my son, so I remained hopeful. Then Zander tasted the kalamata olives. Abigail does not like olives, but I assured her I would only cut them in half and she could pick the olives out of her dish. Zander thought they were good, but he didn’t come back for a second one. The little tin of anchovies frightened both children immediately. I assured them they would never know they were in the dish, and I was correct. I chopped up the anchovies finely and they melted right into the sauce. They added a ton of flavor, and I know would be missed if they were not used, but no one got a bite of anchovy that they could identify.
Overall, Andy and I were completely thrilled with this recipe. It was SO good. It was salty and briny and full of all these different flavors that came together beautifully when tossed with spaghetti and topped with Asiago cheese. The kids however… sadly, there will be no more puttanesca for them. My pasta kid (Zander) barely picked at it and filled up on garlic bread that day. Even Abigail left half of her pasta on her plate, and she’s developed into the type of person that will eat what is on her plate (usually) even if it isn’t her favorite. Both kids told me it just tasted too strongly of the olives.
This really was delicious, and the strong flavors really were perfect for adding the kale, as they completely took over and the kale blended right in. I failed to get a picture of the dish completely put together, but I did get one of the sauce.
Pasta Puttanesca with Kale
1/2 (16 ounce) package dried spaghetti2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 (2 ounce) can anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons red wine 3 cups coarsely chopped kale
1 small jar pitted kalamata olives, drained and cut in half
Grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese to finish
Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook for 3 minutes, or until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until the onion just begun to turn golden brown, about 3 more minutes, but don’t brown the garlic. Stir in capers, anchovy fillets, diced tomatoes, and red wine, and bring to a simmer. Stir in kale, and simmer over medium-low heat until wilted and tender, about 10 minutes.
Once the pasta has cooked and been drained, stir into the puttanesca along with the olives. Toss and sprinkle with grated Asiago/Parmesan cheese before serving.