Go Back
Print Recipe

PASTA ROMESCO WITH KALE

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • 200 grams spaghetti (or other pasta of choice)
  • 3 red peppers
  • 350 grams tomatoes (any variety)
  • 150 grams kale (see notes)
  • 2 tablespoons almonds
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • ½ teaspoon peppercorns
  • 3 dried red chillies
  • 35 grams Parmesan, to serve
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of milk, if necessary
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180 C.
  • Halve the red peppers and remove the seeds and inner white membrane. If using cherry tomatoes, use as is. If using regular, chop them into rough 2 inch pieces. Place them on a large baking tray to avoid overcrowding. Toss with olive oil and salt. Roast for 45 mins until browned and blistered.
  • De-stem the kale (strip the leaves off of the thick central stem with your fingers.) Coarsely chop.
  • Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Once the pasta is cooked through, add the kale to the same pot and cook for 4-5 mins. Drain and add both back to the pot.
  • Add the roasted peppers and tomatoes to a blender jar along with almonds, garlic, chillies, peppercorns, vinegar and salt. Blend to a smooth paste scraping down the jar a few times if necessary.
  • Toss the sauce with the pasta and kale. If it’s too dry, add a bit of milk to bring it to the right consistency. Grate or shave Parmesan over the top and serve.

Notes

The sauce can be made in bigger batches and kept refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
If you can’t find kale, use spinach. Other vegetables like mushroom, zucchini or aubergine or a mix of these would also work here.