Orecchiette With Escarole, White Beans and Toasted Garlic

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt, then the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than indicated on the package instructions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta into a colander.

Step 2

Meanwhile, combine the oil and garlic in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently and not letting the garlic burn, until light golden brown.

Step 3

Add the escarole, increase the heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until it wilts. Stir in the beans, sun-dried tomatoes, sage, crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper, and cook, stirring, just until warmed through.

Step 4

If the pasta is not yet done, remove the skillet from the heat and cover it to keep warm. If the pasta is done, add 1/2 cup of its reserved cooking water and the parmesan to the skillet, stirring to create a sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the drained pasta and cook, stirring, until it's al dente and absorbs some of the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. If the mixture seems dry, add some, or all, of the remaining pasta cooking water, as needed.

Step 5

Divide among bowls, or transfer to a large platter or serving bowl, and serve right away, sprinkled with more cheese, if desired.