Kale And Pecorino Crostini Recipes

RAW TUSCAN KALE SALAD WITH PECORINO

Steps:

• Trim bottom 2 inches off kale stems and discard. Slice kale, including ribs, into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place kale in a large bowl.
• If using bread, toast it until golden on both sides. Tear it into small pieces and grind in a food processor until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
• Chop or microplane the garlic and transfer to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice & zest, salt, pepper flakes and black pepper, and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over kale and toss very well to thoroughly combine (dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat leaves).
• Let salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with bread crumbs, additional cheese and a drizzle of oil.

CROSTINI WITH KALE AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil and garlic over medium-high until garlic is fragrant. Add kale and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add 1 cup water; cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 12 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss with lemon juice.
• Top crostini with kale. With a vegetable peeler, shave Parmesan onto top.

KALE SALAD WITH PANCETTA AND PECORINO

Steps:

• For the dressing, place the anchovies, garlic, mustard, egg yolks, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 30 seconds until smooth. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube, until the mixture emulsifies. Add the grated Pecorino and process just until combined. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Wash the kale and spin it dry in a salad spinner. Remove the rib from each leaf. Stack the leaves and slice them thinly crosswise, as you would coleslaw. Place the kale in a large bowl and toss with enough dressing to moisten.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium (10-inch) saute pan. Add the pancetta and cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, tossing frequently, until browned and crisp. Transfer the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the bread cubes to the pan, sprinkle with salt, and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing frequently, until evenly browned. Add the pancetta, toasted bread, and shaved Pecorino to the kale and toss with large spoons. Serve at room temperature.

KALE AND PECORINO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Cut stems from center of each kale leaf; discard stems. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add kale leaves and cook just until kale is tender but still bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well. Coarsely chop kale.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange baguette slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet; brush slices on top side with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Toast in oven until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Cool toasts on baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Kale and baguette toasts can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and anchovies; stir 1 minute. Add chopped kale and sauté until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Mound kale mixture atop toasted baguette slices, dividing equally. Top kale with cheese shavings. Arrange crostini on platter and serve.
• The bold flavors of this and the chicken liver crostini would be great with Prosecco, the Italian sparkler. We like the light, crisp-and affordable-Zardetto NV Prosecco Brut (Italy, $15).
• Also called Tuscan kale, dinosaur kale, lacinato kale, or cavolo nero, black kale has long, narrow, very dark green bumpy leaves; available at some supermarkets and farmers' markets.

TUSCAN PESTO-DRESSED PENNE WITH CRISPY KALE WITH GARLIC AND BROILED TOMATO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the broiler.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Heads up: reserve a mugful or about 1 1/2 cups starchy cooking water just before draining.
• Arrange the kale on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Dress the kale lightly with EVOO and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Broil until crisp and charred at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
• Toast the nuts in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant.
• Place the herbs in food processor and add the nuts. Then grate in the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and add cheeses and 1/2 cup EVOO. Pulse into a thick pesto sauce and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
• Add 1 cup of the starchy water to the pesto. Toss the pasta and sauce to combine. If the pasta is dry, add the remaining 1/2 starchy water. Fold in half of the crispy kale and garnish with the remainder. Serve with Broiled Tomato Crostini.
• Heat the broiler.
• Arrange the tomatoes on a baking sheet and dress with the thyme, salt and pepper and drizzle with EVOO. Broil until charred at the edges, 10 minutes. Chop the tomatoes and reserve.
• Just before serving, char the toasts on each side, rub with the cut garlic, drizzle with EVOO and top the toast with the chopped, broiled tomatoes.

BRAISED KALE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush bread slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil; arrange bread on baking sheet. Bake until beginning to color, about 6 minutes. Rub toasts with halved garlic.
• Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and dried red pepper and stir 30 seconds. Add kale and broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer until kale is tender and broth has evaporated, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top toasts with kale. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and serve.

GARLICKY KALE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place bread on a large baking sheet. Transfer to oven until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and rub cut sides of bread with 1 clove garlic; set aside.
• Chop remaining 3 cloves garlic; set aside. Wash and drain kale; do not dry. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add kale and cook, stirring to coat with oil; season with salt. Cover and reduce heat to medium, cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. If leaves begin to scorch, add a splash of water to skillet.
• Transfer kale to one side of skillet and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to bare side of skillet; add reserved chopped garlic and the red pepper flakes. When garlic is fragrant, stir to combine with kale.
• Remove skillet from heat and add vinegar; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper; serve on toasted bread slices warm or at room temperature.