Casarecce Pasta with Italian Spiced Pork Mince, Kale & Parmesan

Destination: Italy. Casarecce is a short, twisted pasta shape that holds onto the sauce. Here it meets Italian spiced pork mince, Tuscan kale, lemon and parmesan.

Serves 2 · 15 mins + prep

In your box

• 1 Italian spiced pork mince
• 1 casarecce pasta pack
• 1 parmesan pack
• 1 brown onion
• 1 Tuscan kale bunch
• 1 lemon

From your pantry

Olive oil, salt

Method

1. Prepare the ingredients. Read the recipe in full before you begin. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Thinly slice the onion. Strip the kale leaves from the thick stalks and thinly slice the leaves. Cut the lemon into wedges.

2. Cook the pork. Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the mince and cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring to break it up, until browned and crisp.

3. Add the vegetables. Add the onion and kale and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until soft.

4. Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water for 8–10 minutes, or until al dente (soft but firm to the bite). Before draining, keep a mugful of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.

5. Add the pasta. Add the pasta to the pork mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until well combined. Season to taste with olive oil, salt and lemon juice.

To serve

Divide the pasta between serving bowls and top with grated parmesan.

Chef's tips

• You'll want a sieve, a saucepan, a frying pan and a microplane or grater for this one.
• When you mix the pasta with the sauce, add a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta. Add it a small amount at a time so the pasta doesn't turn into soup.
• Make this dish with silverbeet or rainbow chard.
• For quick pre-spiced mince, buy good-quality sausages and remove the skins.
• Add a pinch of chilli or dried sage at step 2.

Allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy, onion.

Our recipes are tested for 2 people. You may need to adjust cooking times if cooking for more or fewer.

This recipe card comes from our Italy Cuisine Box. Every week’s box brings a new destination with recipe cards like this one.