Pasta with Crispy Kale and Ricotta

Meatless Monday – Pasta with Crispy Kale and Ricotta
Local Produce – Kale

Pasta with Crispy Kale and Ricotta
Adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray March 2011

1 pound pasta – fusilli or penne
1 bunch kale – stemmed, washed, dried
Approx. 5 T of olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
1 pound pasta – fusilli or penne
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 T dried thyme
1 t dried rosemary leaves
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roughly chop Kale. Toss Kale with 2-3 T of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet (you may need two) and bake for about 15 minutes. Toss Kale midway through cooking time. Kale should be crispy at the end of cooking – it will break up nicely in the sauce for the pasta.

Heat remaining 2 T of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-low. Cook garlic and jalapeno for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the thyme and rosemary. Whisk the reserved pasta water into the garlic oil. Stir in the pasta. Then add crispy kale and ricotta, stir vigorously to coat the pasta. Serve with parmesan cheese.