Kale and fresh chorizo sausage pasta

Tam West

Ingredients

350 g	Kale leaves
400 g	Pasta, I used torchiette (Main)
4 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 clove	Garlic, sliced
1 pinch	Chilli flakes
300 g	Chorizo sausages, removed from skin
2 cups	Baby spinach, optional
1 serving	Grated parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Remove kale stems and discard. Cook leaves in boiling salted water until bite-tender. Drain, reserving cooking water.
2. Cook pasta in the reserved cooking water (add more boiling water if necessary) until al dente. Drain, reserving cooking water.
3. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Add garlic and chilli flakes and fry for 1 minute to release flavours. Add cooked kale and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender with some of the reserved cooking water and blend until smooth. Return to a saucepan and keep hot.
4. Meanwhile, add remaining 2 Tbsp oil to a frying pan and pan-fry skinless chorizo sausage until crisp, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it fries.
5. Add pasta to kale sauce and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir through baby spinach leaves if using. Serve in warmed bowls, topped with crisp chorizo sausage and parmesan, if using.

Make it different

• I have blended the kale (also known as curly kale) into a sauce, but you could just toss through the pasta unblended.