Kale Pesto Rigatoni with Garlic Chips

By Kielian Baird

Servings: 4-6 

Ingredients:

1. ½ cup neutral oil (vegetable or avocado oil) 

2. ¼ cup garlic, thinly sliced 

3. 6 cups kale, destemmed and washed

4. 1 large lemon, juiced and zested 

5. ¼ cup chopped pine nuts, toasted 

6. ⅓ cup parmesan 

7. 1 tsp Aleppo pepper 

8. Freshly cracked pepper and salt to taste

9. 1 lb rigatoni pasta (fresh or dried)  

10. ½ cup butter, cubed, separated

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F). 

2. Place the neutral oil into a small pot on the stove. Add in the slices of garlic into the cold oil and give it a good stir. Turn on the heat to high. Allow to sit, stirring occasionally until you see the garlic start to brown. Set up a plate with paper towels to catch the garlic when it is ready. Stirring constantly now, you want to wait until the garlic looks crispy and golden. Remove with a strainer and set garlic chips onto the paper towel lined plate. Pour garlic infused oil into a container and save as well.

3. While the garlic is drying, place the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes. Making sure to stir every few minutes to avoid unevening roasting. Remove from the oven once the nuts are golden brown. Immediately place on a cool plate to prevent burning. Set aside. 

4. Now blanch the kale in a large pot of salted boiling water. Once the kale is vibrant green and tender, remove and place in an ice bath. Squeeze out as much excess water as you can. Set aside. 

5. Now, add the drained kale and all of the reserved garlic oil into a blender until smooth. Add in the pine nuts, parmesan, and aleppo pepper. Blend until very smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

6. Boil your pasta in salted water, according to the package's instructions. Be sure to save at least a cup of pasta water! Drain noodles into a colander.

7. Add 2 tablespoons of butter into a large pot over medium heat until melted. Add in all of the kale sauce and stir together. Add the cooked pasta and stir continuously as you add the rest of the butter and drizzle in pasta water until the sauce reaches desired consistency.

8. Plate the pasta with more freshly shaved parmesan and top with the garlic chips and more aleppo pepper. Serve!

References:

1. Hunter, L., & Leeflang, J. (n.d.). Kale nutrients. Nutrivore. https://nutrivore.com/foods/kale-nutrients/ 

1. Eating kale raw will retain more nutrient density. However, blanching kale is the best way to cook and retain most of the micronutrient profile.