Adding ricotta and lemon olive oil to hot pasta noodles creates a creamy sauce. Add cooked kale and top with Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and chopped pistachios for a delicious vegetarian main dish or side dish. Lemon olive oil is worth adding to your pantry. If you don’t have it, use good quality extra virgin olive oil and lemon zest for the lemon flavor.
8ouncesspaghetti or linguinebrown rice or whole wheat
bunchLacinato or Tuscan kale
1cupRicotta cheese
2tablespoonslemon or regular olive oilplus more for drizzling over the top
1-2ounceschopped raw unsalted, shelled pistachio nuts
¼cupgrated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
1largelemonzested
Instructions
Fill a large pot or pan (5 quarts) with water. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, trim the kale. If the leaves are small and tender, trim off the bottom stem, then crosswise into thin ribbons or strips. If the leaves are larger, cut out the center rib, then cut across into thin ribbons.
When water boils, add a tablespoon of salt. Add the kale ribbons and cook for 3-4 minutes. Lift the cooked kale out with a spider or sieve and set aside (don’t drain the water yet). While the water is still boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions.
When the pasta is done, save a little of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta and place back in the hot pan with the heat off. Add a little salt and pepper.
Add the ricotta cheese and olive oil. Toss until creamy. If you want it to be more creamy, add a little of the reserved pasta cooking water. Add the kale. Place the pasta in warmed, wide shallow bowls. Top with a little more olive oil if desired, plus the pistachios, Parmesan and lemon zest.