i finished watching grey gardens and made this pasta dish for dinner.there's nothing like a little kale and soba noodles to help you stomach these ladies. wash down all of their outrageous cat talk and singing with a dish that is cleansing for the mind and body. better yet, just make this and skip the grey gardens part, you won't be disappointed. consider renting a different movie for your dinnertime entertainment. although grey gardens is said to be a classic, i discovered that it is extremely difficult to sustain any sort of an appetite while watching this documentary.
my favorite quote of the movie, "I'm not going to do anything for anybody anymore. Well, except for mother and the cats of course."
Buckwheat Pasta With Kale
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or omit butter and use 2 tablespoons olive oil)
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced and cleaned
10 fresh sage leaves, cut in thin slivers
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
3/4 pound kale, stemmed, washed thoroughly, and cut crosswise in strips
Freshly ground pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup)
2 ounces fontina, Gruyère cheese or another stronger white cheese(I used Irish Kerrygold Swiss) cut in 1/4 inch dice
3/4 pound buckwheat pasta (pizzoccheri or soba) or whole wheat fettuccine
1. Begin heating a large pot of water. Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, garlic and sage, and cook, stirring often, until the leeks begin to soften, about three minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and continue to cook, stirring often, until the leeks are tender, about five minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous spoonful of salt and the kale. Boil for four minutes, until tender but still bright. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to the pan with the leeks and stir together. Keep warm over low heat.
3. Bring the water back to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook al dente (soba will cook quickly, usually in under five minutes, while pizzoccheri and whole wheat fettuccine will take longer). When the pasta is al dente, add 1/2 cup of the cooking water to the pan with the kale, garlic and leeks, then drain the pasta and toss in the pan or in a warm pasta bowl with the leeks, kale and the cheeses. Serve at once.
Yield: Serves four to six
