Kale white Bean Pasta

6-8 ounces ditalini or other small, round paste

1 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking the pasta.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch lacinato kale, (also known as Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale) stemmed and torn into irregular chunks

1 tablespoon garlic, sliced thin

1 large shallot, minced

heavy pinch red crushed chili flake

zest and juice from 1 lemon

heavy pinch nutritional yeast

1 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped

Garnish:

panko breadcrumbs, toasted in a heavy drizzle of oil until golden brown

For the Pasta:

Cook the pasta in simmering salted water for 1 minute less than the package specifies for al dente. Drain, reserved 1-2 cups of the starchy cooking water for your sauce. Transfer the cooked and drained pasta to a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive and toss to prevent sticking.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the kale, garlic and shallot and top with the chili flake; shake the pan, stirring occasionally until the kale softens. Add about ½ cup of the pasta water and beans. Heat the beans through, add the pasta, toss together and if it needs a little more liquid, add the pasta water a tablespoon at a time. Finish with lemon zest and juice, the nutritional yeast and the herbs. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

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