Il Cucinologo
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Pasta with Savoy Cabbage

17/11/2023

Pasta with Savoy Cabbage is a tasty and comforting dish typical of Italian home cooking, especially from Northern Italy. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 320 g of pasta (penne, farfalle or rigatoni work well)
  • 1/2 Savoy cabbage (about 500 g)
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 100 g of pancetta or guanciale (optional, for a vegetarian version you can omit it)
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Chili pepper (optional)
  • Grated Parmesan for garnish

Preparation

  1. Clean the Savoy cabbage by removing the tougher outer leaves. Cut in half, remove the core and slice the cabbage into thin strips.

  2. In a large skillet, sauté the garlic clove (whole or minced, depending on your taste) in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. If you have chosen to use pancetta or guanciale, add it now and let it brown until crispy.

  3. Add the sliced cabbage to the skillet, optionally a bit of chili pepper if you like, season with salt and cook covered over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. The cabbage should soften and absorb flavor from the pancetta fat.

  4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions.

  5. Drain the pasta and add it to the Savoy cabbage and pancetta sauce in the skillet, tossing everything for a couple of minutes over high heat to combine the flavors.

  6. Serve the pasta hot, dusting with plenty of grated Parmesan.

Trivia

Savoy cabbage, in addition to being a typical winter ingredient, is very versatile in the kitchen and can be used in many different ways, from soups to side dishes, from risottos to pastas. Rich in vitamins and minerals, it is a true health boost for the body during the colder months. The combination with guanciale or pancetta is typical of many Italian peasant recipes, where the goal was to create hearty and flavorful dishes using available ingredients.

If you want an even more typically Italian variant, you could add a pinch of nutmeg to the preparation or use crumbled sausages instead of pancetta. Enjoy your meal!