Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Greens
- 450 g collard greens, stems removed, leaves washed and shredded
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 g red pepper flakes
Braise & Pasta
- 250 ml vegetable broth, warm
- 340 g orecchiette pasta
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Finishing
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 30 g vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, finely grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Remove the tough central stems from the collard greens and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.
Dice the yellow onion and thinly slice the garlic cloves on a cutting board using a chef's knife.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it begins to shimmer.
Add the diced yellow onion to the hot oil and cook until softened and translucent.
Stir in the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking constantly until aromatic to prevent burning.
Add the shredded collard greens to the Dutch oven in batches, tossing with tongs to coat in oil and wilt the leaves before adding the next batch.
Pour in the vegetable broth and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently until the greens are incredibly tender and have released their natural sweetness.
Bring heavily salted water to a rolling boil at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit in a large pasta pot.
Drop the orecchiette pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente.
Carefully scoop out and reserve about 120ml of the starchy pasta cooking water, then pour the remaining contents through a colander to drain the pasta.
Transfer the drained pasta directly into the Dutch oven containing the braised collard greens.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and half of the reserved pasta water to the pot. Toss everything together vigorously over low heat to create a glossy, emulsified sauce that coats the pasta.
Divide the pasta among warm bowls, finishing with a final crack of black pepper and a dusting of grated vegetarian hard cheese if desired.
Chef's Notes
- Do not rush the collard greens. The extended low-heat braise is absolutely essential to break down their robust fibrous structure and coax out a deep, complex sweetness.
- Reserving starchy pasta water is the secret to all excellent pasta dishes. It acts as a mechanical binder, marrying the olive oil, lemon juice, and remaining broth into a cohesive sauce.
- Orecchiette, meaning little ears, is the perfect pasta shape for this dish. The cup-like structure acts as a scoop, catching small pieces of the braised greens and garlic.
- For an extra layer of depth, save the discarded collard stems. They can be roughly chopped and thrown into a freezer bag with onion peels to make homemade vegetable stock later.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The braised greens deepen in flavor overnight.
Freezer: 1 month — Pasta may become slightly mushy upon thawing, but the greens freeze exceptionally well.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water to revive the emulsified sauce.
