Although cavolo nero is available in the UK from June to March, it is best in the winter after the first frost when it is sweeter. Click here for more about cavolo nero and how to cook it. If you are a vegetarian you can leave out the chorizo and substitute the parmesan for an alternative cheese in this recipe.
If want something super rich, you could use burrata instead of yoghurt. Chef Mateo Zielonka says that burrata complements the grassy flavour of the cavolo nero.
If you don’t have any chorizo to hand, use a judicious dollop of ‘nduja. Be careful, it is very (spicy) hot.
Pasta With Cavolo Nero and Chorizo
A quick and easy winter dish just as good for vegetarians if you substitute the parmesan for another cheese and leave out the chorizo
Serves – 2
Ingredients
- 250g/8 oz pasta – farfalle or penne
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed with a tsp of smoked salt
- 200g/7 oz cavolo nero*
- 3 tbsps pine nuts (dry fry for a minute or two first if you have time)
- 50g/2 oz or so of butter – be generous
- 50g/½ cup parmesan, plus more to offer to sprinkle over at the table
- 30g/1 oz mild chorizo (about an inch or a couple of cm)
- 240 ml/1 cup yoghurt (not the thick type), plus a bit extra for spooning over just at the end
- freshly ground pepper
- some Spanish sweet smoked paprika
Instructions
- Take the yoghurt out of the fridge to get it to room temperature.
- Take the stems off the cavolo nero and shred it finely.
- Add to a medium saucepan along with the cavolo nero and begin to stir fry effectively.
- Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
- Chop the chorizo into small dice, and add to the cavolo nero.
- Peel and crush the garlic with the salt if you haven’t already – add to the cavolo nero.
- Grind over the pepper. The cavolo nero should have been cooking for about ten minutes by now.
- Add the parmesan – stir well.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, allow the mixture to cool down a little, and add the yoghurt.
- Serve out the pasta, top with the cavolo nero sauce and an extra spoonful of yoghurt, and a dusting of smoked paprika. Offer additional parmesan.