Gluten-free Pasta with Anchovy-Basil Butter & Kale
Ingredients
10-12 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature and preferably grass-fed
1 garlic clove, minced
6 to 8 basil leaves, chopped fine
¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ bunch of kale, chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 oz. gluten-free pasta, such as penne
3 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano or this vegan parmesan alternative, finely grated, plus shaved for serving
Directions
Boil salted and olive oiled water in a large pot for the pasta.
In the meantime, mash anchovies, garlic, smoked paprika, and basil into butter in a medium bowl. Season with pepper to taste. Set the butter aside. You can also prepare this as compound butter ahead of time and roll it into parchment paper to let the flavours meld for longer overnight. If so, make are to put he parchment paper-wrapped butter in an airtight container before refrigerating.
Boil the pasta until al dente with ¼ cp of pasta water reserved.
In a large skillet, like cast iron, heat the olive oil over medium heat and toss the chopped kale with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the pasta, kale, ¼ cup of pasta squid, and 4 tablespoons of anchovy butter to the skillet. Toss them together until well-mixed and then add your preferred cheese. Serve topped with additional cheese and/or crushed red pepper or Urfa biber if you’d like.
About the Author
Almila Kakinc-Dodd is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief of The Thirlby. She is also the author of the book The Thirlby: A Field Guide to a Vibrant Mind, Body, & Soul. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Nursing as a Dean’s Scholar at Johns Hopkins University. Her background is in Anthropology & Literature, which she has further enriched through her Integrative Health Practitioner training at Duke University. She lives in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area, where she regularly contributes to various publications. She is a member of Democratic Socialists of America and urges others to join the movement.
