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Kale in a Casserole - Cavolo Nero in Casseruola

By Kyle Phillips, About.com

Black Leaf Kale

Black Leaf Kale

Kyle Phillips Licensed to About.Com
Kale in a Casserole, or Cavolo Nero in Casseruola: What does winter cold bring to mind? Cabbages, the classic winter vegetables. Though I generally associate kale with Tuscan cooking, and in particular with ribollita, a tasty bread soup that's peasant food at its best, it does also grow in other parts of Italy, including Lombardia, which is where this recipe hales from. To serve six:

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • A head of kale
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 5 ounces (125 g) pancetta, thinly sliced
  • An onion, thinly sliced
  • A the leaves of a 6-inch (15 cm) sprig of rosemary (about 1/4 cup)
  • A half cup of tomato sauce
  • A ladle of hot broth or bullion
  • Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Wash the kale well and blanch it in boiling water, then drain it and shred it coarsely. In the meantime, heat toe oil in a large pot.

Sauté the pancetta, onions, and rosemary leaves in the oil, add the kale, tomato, check seasoning, and bring the mixture to a simmer, and cover it.

In about 20 minutes the sauce will be partially dried; sprinkle the hot broth over the kale and finish cooking it uncovered, until the excess moisture has evaporated. Serve steaming, as a side dish.

Variation: You can also use Savoy cabbage, at which point it becomes Verzada.
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