Thursday, August 22, 2013

Orecchiette with Sausage and Tuscan Kale Pesto

*I haven't actually made this yet.  Just saving it here for later.

Ingredients
  • 3 cups (85 g) Tuscan kale, blanched*
  • 1 cup (30 g) fresh basil
  • 4 garlic cloves, whole
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup (45 g) Pecorino Romano cheese
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound (454 g) orecchiette pasta
  • 4 sausage links, casings removed
  • 4 tablespoons dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay
Preparation
  • Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat. Prepare another bowl full of ice for the ice bath.
  • Cut off the tough stems from the Tuscan kale. And pick the basil leaves from the stems, discarding any that are damaged.
  • When water is boiling, add the Tuscan kale and blanch for 15 seconds. Remove and plunge in the ice bath for 15 seconds and drain in a colander. Roughly chop the kale.
  • Next, add the basil leaves in the boiling water for 5 seconds, until wilted. Scoop out and drain in a sieve. When cool enough to handle, squeeze dry and set aside.
  • Cut each garlic clove in half and plunge in boiling water for 15 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath to cool.
  • Put the kale, basil, nuts, garlic, cheese, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and purée until smooth.
  • Transfer into containers for storage. Will keep well in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
  • To make pasta, bring a large pot of water to boil and season with salt. Add the orecchiete pasta and cook for about 8 to 11 minutes, or according to package directions.
  • Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta.
  • Wipe the same pot clean and heat on medium high. Add a little bit of olive oil to the pan.
  • When oil is hot, add the sausages, crumble with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned all over.
  • Add 2 scant cups of the pesto and stir. Immediately add 4 tablespoons of white wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated, about 1 to 2 minutes. Then, add half the reserved cooking water (about 1/2 cup) to loosen the pesto. Stir well.
  • Put the pasta back into the pot and toss until well-combined, adding more pasta water if needed.

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