Pasta With Anchovies, Garlic, Chiles and Kale
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Salt, as needed
- ½pound pasta
- 3tablespoons good olive oil, more for drizzling
- ¼ to ½teaspoon crushed red chile flakes, to taste
- 4fat garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2tablespoons drained capers, patted dry with a paper towel to encourage browning
- 4anchovy filets
- 1small bunch kale, chopped (or use 3 large handfuls chopped kale)
- Black pepper
- Squeeze of lemon, optional
- Grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
666 calories; 25 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 91 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 574 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a heavily salted pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, heat oil in the largest skillet you have. Add chiles and a pinch of salt and toast until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 3
Add smashed garlic, capers and anchovies. Let cook until everything is golden, the capers look crisp around the edges and the anchovies have dissolved into the oil, about 3 to 4 minutes. (You can help anchovies dissolve by mashing them with a wooden spoon as they cook.) Add kale and 2 tablespoons water and sauté until kale wilts and cooks in the pan and is well coated with oil, about 5 minutes. You might have to add more water if the water evaporates before the kale finishes cooking.
- Step 4
Add drained pasta and toss well. Add more salt if necessary and plenty of black pepper, and serve drizzled with more oil and a squeeze of lemon if the dish needs a lift. Cheese isn't necessary but if you like pecorino and have some on hand, feel free to shower it on top.
Private Notes
Comments
PLEASE do not cook the pasta before doing all the sauteing in the skillet...the pasta will just sit around and get all mushy...exactly when the pasta has been cooked very al dente is the time to add it to the already cooked ingredients in the skillet, let it cook a little to absorb the flavors...
Lovely recipe.. and versatile too if you decide you want just a slight change on your dinner table (say a sudden craving for something more asian in flavor). Anchovies mixed with a little light soy sauce (another pantry staple) makes for a great fish sauce substitute. So add a few splashes of that as well when you're cooking and eschew the capers for some peanuts or walnuts. Add a splash of rice vinegar (or any other in a pinch) which has the benefit of brightening the kale. Any pasta will do.
Before draining, save some of the pasta water to use in the sauce to add flavor and a bit of silkiness.
Loads more kale to the recipe! Add shiitake too. A winner!
Nice! I waited to start the pasta till the rest was well underway, as per others' suggestions. I pulverized the kale with a little water in my food processor. I added a few sliced shitaki mushrooms to the pan when I added kale. I added pinenuts with the the cheese at the end, making a nice texture addition. Walnuts would work. Black pepper important. Forgot the lemon, but will add next time.
Delicious! I agree about increasing the kale and anchovies. I also added some sliced mini roma tomatoes and lemon zest. I think lemon juice and cheese are musts.