Orecchiette with Kale, Chickpeas & Sausage

Ingredients

1 lb (500 g) orecchiette

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) chicken broth

2 bunches dinosaur kale, stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 Ib (375 g) linguiça-style sausage, sliced ½ inch (12 mm) thick

1½ cups (8½ oz/265 g) canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

1/4 cup (1 oz/30 g) grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orecchiette and cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes of according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup (B fl or/250 ml) of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, kale, and a pinch of salt. Raise the heat to high, cover the pan, and cook until the kale begins to wilt, 1-2 minutes.

Remove the cover and add the sausage.

Continue cooking until the leaves are tender and the liquid has evaporated, 3-4 minutes more. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Add the orecchiette to the kale and stir to combine. Stir in ½ cup (4 floz/125 ml) of the pasta water to moisten the mixture, adding more if needed.

Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Serve right away.