We ate this for dinner tonight. It was so good.
You need to experience the delectable joy of a big bowl of pasta blanketed with smoky morsels of bacon and wilted kale. Highly regarded as a “superfood” for the vitamin punch it packs, kale is an excellent source of calcium, beta carotene, vitamins C and K, and lutein. So, of course, what better way to incorporate some nutritious kale into your diet than to cook it up with a lot of bacon? (There’s a joke in there somewhere…) Sorry, vegetarians. You’ll want to avert your eyes for the next couple of minutes. Everybody else, feast your eyes upon this recipe and try not to drool all over your keyboard.
FARFALLE WITH BACON & KALE
1 1/2 pounds farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
10 slices thick cut bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound of kale, chopped or torn into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup crumbled ricotta salata
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Farfalle usually takes about 12 to 14 minutes to prepare once the water is boiling.
Meanwhile, saute the bacon over moderately high heat in a large saute pan with high sides. Cook until the bacon begins to brown lightly and releases most of its fat but is not crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Drain off most of the fat. Lower heat to medium.
Add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 or 6 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning the garlic.
Add the tomatoes and saute until they start to soften and collapse a bit, about 5 minutes.
Spread the kale on top of the bacon mixture. Pour over the broth. Gently mix the kale and bacon a bit.
Cover the pan.
Return heat to a moderately high temperature and steam the kale until it is completely wilted, about 10 minutes. Most of the broth should evaporate during this time. It’s okay if some broth remains.
Remove the cover and season generously with black pepper.
Drain the pasta and pour into a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Garnish with the crumbled ricotta salata and chopped parsley.
Serves 6 generously – enough for a laid back dinner party. Try it with your favorite shiraz.
Revel & Feast 