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Pasta With Anchovies, Garlic, Chiles and Kale

5.0(1973)

If you don’t have an after-work, go-to pasta dish, this may fill the void. The backbone of flavor comes from pantry staples — a pungent mix of anchovies, garlic, red pepper flakes and capers, which gives pasta more than enough character for a satisfying dinner. But kale (or chard, spinach or other greens) adds a fresh, earthy flavor and enough vegetable content to turn it into a one-dish meal.

by Melissa Clark

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Dinner, Easy, Lunch, Quick, Pastas, Main Course

Servings

2 servings

Total time

30 min

Calories / serving

666 kcal

Ingredients (11)

serves

Salt, as neededsalt
1/2 pound pasta
3 tablespoons good olive oil, more for drizzlingolive-oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes, to taste
4 fat garlic cloves, smashed and peeledclove
2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry with a paper towel to encourage browning
4 anchovy filets
1 small bunch kale, chopped (or use 3 large handfuls chopped kale)kale
Black pepperpepper
Squeeze of lemon, optionallemon
Grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)pecorino

Instructions (4 steps)

01Bring a heavily salted pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain.
02Meanwhile, heat oil in the largest skillet you have. Add chiles and a pinch of salt and toast until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
03Add smashed garlic, capers and anchovies. Let cook until everything is golden, the capers look crisp around the edges and the anchovies have dissolved into the oil, about 3 to 4 minutes. (You can help anchovies dissolve by mashing them with a wooden spoon as they cook.) Add kale and 2 tablespoons water and sauté until kale wilts and cooks in the pan and is well coated with oil, about 5 minutes. You might have to add more water if the water evaporates before the kale finishes cooking.

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Rich recipe — supports nutrition-aware planning.