Delicious and easy to make, our recipe for corzetti pasta with kale pesto and pancetta is a perfect marriage between creamy pesto and crispy pancetta. The bitterness of Tuscan kale (“cavolo nero” in Italian) is tamed by subtly sweet pancetta and pine nuts, creating a wintry, comforting dish that is impossible not to love.
Corzetti Pasta with Kale Pesto and Pancetta
Serves 4:
For the sauce:
200 gr kale, trimmed
50 gr freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
20 gr pine nuts
60 gr pancetta, diced
50 gr extra virgin olive oil + 2 tablespoons for frying
salt and pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and cook for 10 minutes, then rinse and refresh under cold water.
Transfer the kale to a food processor with the Parmesan, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil and pulse to a pesto consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Now fry the diced pancetta in a frying pan over high heat (using 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil), until crisp.
Toss the cooked corzetti pasta with the kale pesto and the pancetta. Serve immediately.