Add Egg For Protein
Change It Up
This pasta is versatile! Make it as is, or try any of the following adjustments.
Add a fried egg for additional protein
Garnish with fresh leafy herbs—dill, parsley and chives are all nice
Substitute another hardy green for the kale—I’ve read that arugula, chard and collard greens work
You can also easily make this dish dairy free, vegan and/or gluten free. See the recipe notes for details.
Suggested Equipment
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This recipe is easy to make if you have these basic kitchen tools on the ready. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
You’ll need a large Dutch oven or stock pot. I used my 5.5-quart Le Creuset for this recipe. I wouldn’t recommend using anything smaller than five quarts.
You’ll also need a medium or large fine-mesh strainer (AKA sieve). We’re going to use it to keep the kale stems separate from the kale leaves as they cook (since the stems need a few extra minutes to soften). We’ll use it again to cook the peas in the water as the pasta cooks. This OXO sieve is a great size.
You’ll need heat-safe kitchen tongs to quickly and easily scoop the kale leaves out of the boiling water. These Rösle tongs work like a dream.
For silky-smooth sauce, you’ll need to use a stand blender. I love my Vitamix. If you’re having trouble blending the sauce, just add spoonfuls of hot pasta water as needed, and don’t stop blending until it’s perfectly smooth.
