Kale and Cabbage Pasta

Place me in a room with a brassica of your choice and I would, until surprisingly recently, have crawled up the walls and screamed for mercy and probably my mother. However, one by one my aversion to greens has fallen – broccoli was the first to go, followed by kale and now even cabbage and the infamous Brussels sprouts have spent an evening in my digestive clink. Last week, while at my local food market in Bristol, a rather good looking cabbage caught my eye and I had not the will nor the inclination to resist its pull and I’m so glad I didn’t!

Cabbage and kale are both extraordinarily frugal ingredients – not only is the immediate financial outlay required to purchase them relatively inconsequential, they go surprisingly far. Indeed, when one acquires a vegetable that isn’t half gone after providing food for four, it is clear that one may be on to something of a winner.

Both kale and cabbage are generally best cooked for a very short amount of time. When overcooked, cabbage releases its rather offensive supply of sulphur which never proves to be particularly pleasant. Just try smelling the air after singeing a little of your arm hair. Interestingly, this is probably the reason you, I and so many of our peers, elders and youngers have been put off cabbage in our youth – it’s a well-known fact that school cooks very often, and somewhat ironically, have no idea how to cook. Still, if you follow my advice the only danger you’ll be in is of eating a truly delicious pasta dish.

For a similar using beautiful Tuscan cavolo nero, see my recipe for Cavolo Nero with Pasta and Almonds…

Kale and Cabbage Pasta {recipe}

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 300g pasta, fusilli or similar

• 2 large handfuls of very roughly chopped kale

• ¼ of a head of white cabbage, shredded

• 2 cloves of garlic, mashed

• 1-2 red chillies, finely sliced

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Boil the pasta in some well salted water. Once cooked through set it to one side and begin to fry the garlic in around 1 tbsp of the olive oil. This is best done in a large, heavy-based frying pan.

2. Making sure not to let the garlic burn add the cabbage and kale, toss for a few seconds and then add the pasta and the remaining olive oil. Continue to toss until well coated. Serve with a scattering of chilli and a little parmesan (if desired).

Cost: As mentioned above, cabbage and kale are both inexpensive; particularly at this time of the year since they are very much in season. This means that, since they are the main ingredients, this meal is going to cost next to nothing. Indeed, the entire recipe can be made for as little as £1.50 – a very tempting price!