Vegetarian Whole Wheat Pasta with Fried Kale, Tomato Sauce, and Goat Cheese

Directions

Start a large pot of water boiling, and add the salt. When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook at a low boil for 11 minutes When pasta is done, drain well, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the chopped red onion and saute for a couple of minutes, until the onion softens. Add the minced garlic, chopped parsley, and chopped thyme leaves and saute a minute more. Add stock, petite diced tomatoes plus juice, and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes and let the sauce cook at a low simmer while you saute the kale. Chop up the kale, cutting away inner ribs if they’re thick. Heat the other 2 tsp. of olive oil in another large frying pan , add the kale all at once, and fry the kale over medium-high heat, turning often, until it’s barely tender-crisp. This will take 2-4 minutes, depending on how hot your stove is. After you’ve drained the pasta, stir it into the pan with the tomato sauce, then stir in the fried kale and gently combine. Season the dish to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Stir in the crumbled goat cheese and gently stir to coat the pasta with the goat cheese. Serve hot.