Crazy Pasta

I found a recipe on Two Peas & Their Pod that called for kale, which gave me the opportunity to use 1/100th of the kale that is still in our garden. (Perhaps that's an exaggeration. I guess I didn't count all the leaves on all the stalks, but I'm just guessing.) It's a weird combination of flavors to say the least, but somehow it works. It's not something I'd make exclusively, but it's a tasty lunch for me this week.

Crazy Pasta

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1 pound pasta
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, cut into slivers-pits removed
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, and then cook garlic, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Cook onion in the remaining oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add dried cranberries, and cook until plumped, about 1 minute.

Add kale leaves into onion mixture with water and 3/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until almost tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pasta pot of boiling salted water until aldente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, and drain pasta. Toss pasta with kale, kalamata olives, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta cheese and garlic chips over the pasta dish and serve warm. Serves 6 to 8.