This pasta is so delicious and so easy to whip up. It’s super garlicky, a bit hot from chili flakes, a little smoky and salty from the bacon, nutty from the pine nuts and, dare I say, healthy with the addition of kale. The kale is just perfect in this, it gets a bit crispy and charred adding great texture while at the same time soaking up all that delicious garlic flavor.

I topped it with freshly grated Manchego cheese but any semi hard sheeps milk cheese would do. Of course Parmesan would do just fine, but if you want an interesting, tangy but also nutty, salty flavor- go for the sheep’s milk cheese.

Ingredients:

Penne pasta for two (or rigatoni would also work beautifully)

Kale (about 2-3 large leaves, ribs removed, roughly chopped)

Bacon (thick cut, diced, about a small handful)

Garlic (5 cloves, roughly minced)

Pine nuts (very small handful)

Oregano (dried, a tablespoon)

Chili flakes (a tablespoon)

Extra virgin olive oil

Manchego cheese

Method:

First get your pasta water started, don’t forget to add salt. While that is heating up, dice your bacon and get it started in a pan over medium low heat. Pancetta or crumbled sausage would be great in this dish if you don’t want to use bacon. With pancetta, use the same amount. If using sausage, I would double the amount since it’s not too salty.

As your bacon is sizzling away, clean and chop your kale making sure to remove the tough ribs. Give garlic cloves a rough mince.

Your pasta water should be boiling now so add the penne and a bit more salt. Really any short ribbed pasta would work well. After a minute be sure to give your pasta a stir so they don’t stick together.

Give the bacon a stir a few times as it cooks. When your bacon is starting to brown, nudge the bacon bits to one side of the pan, use some paper towels, and carefully dab the pan to soak up most of the bacon grease. Please use caution!

Now add a glug of extra virgin olive oil and once that is a bit hot add the dried oregano, chili flakes and a few healthy grinds of black pepper. After 30 seconds add the kale and garlic. Stir to combine and add olive oil as needed. Add the pine nuts. Everything should be getting a bit crisp and toasty.

Check your pasta, we are always aiming for al dente. It probably needs a few more minutes, so scoop out some starchy pasta water with a mug and slowly add to the pan. Increase the heat to medium or medium high- you want the sauce simmering. When your pasta is finished, add to the pan and toss to combine. Add another drizzle of olive oil, another grind of black pepper and a grating of Manchego cheese.

Voila! Serve with a full bodied, tannic red. A Cabernet or Tempranillo would be my pick.