Pasta with Kale, Garlic and Lemon

The inspiration for this pasta dish comes from “The River Cafe Cook Book” by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. The kale is quickly blanched, then whirred in a food processor to make a vibrant puree for coating al dente noodles. The kale’s green, mineral notes are balanced by lightly browned garlic, bright lemon juice and zest, and savory grated cheese. To make prep a breeze, we use bagged kale that doesn’t require stemming or washing; curly, baby and lacinato (also called Tuscan or dinosaur) kale all worked well.