Penne with Goat Cheese, Kale and Olives (and Turkey if you want!)

My friend Brenda sent me this recipe. She knows I am a pasta fiend! She made it for dinner the other night and as soon as she had the first bite, she knew that I would love it! She was so totally right!

This dish has all my favourite things, pasta, goat cheese, kale, lemon, olives! Ummm hello!!

What you need,

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1 pound penne

1 tsp. coarse salt

¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper

¼ cup olive oil

2 large shallots, sliced thinly

3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

1 ½ tsp. lemon zest

¼ cup white wine, or chicken stock

6-8 cups kale, cut into small chunks

6 oz. goat cheese

½ cup pitted, kalamata olives

4 tsp. lemon juice, basically the juice of 1 lemon

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cup shredded or chopped leftover turkey or chicken, optional

1 cup grape tomatoes, or any small tomato, optional

Start by cooking the pasta according to the directions on the package. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the cooking water.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened and translucent, this will take about 3 minutes. Add in the lemon zest and wine, cook until the wine has evaporated, about 1 minute.  Stir in the kale and ¼ cup of the pasta water. Cook until the kale starts to wilt, about 3 or 4 minutes. Toss in the turkey or chicken and the tomatoes if you are using them and heat through. Add in the goat cheese and about 1 cup of the pasta water. Stir to make a creamy sauce, add more of the reserved pasta water to thin it out if you need to. 

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir until the pasta is coated in the sauce and most of the liquid has been absorbed and everything is nice and hot. Stir in the olives and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste.

Serve with the grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

I know I have said it before, but for real people, this is my perfect food. I could eat some variation of this exact pasta dish every day. I love the fresh bright flavours, the crunch of the kale and the tang of the olives.

I want to marry this pasta!

Thanks B! You know me so well.

Jen

Recipe adapted from the one Brenda sent me, I think it is a Martha Stewart recipe.