I first heard of cavolo nero during an episode of Molto Mario. Years later I saw it mentioned again in a Mark Bittman recipe, so I decided to check it out. When I googled “cavolo nero” I realized that I see it almost every week at my local Farmer’s Market.

Cavolo nero has a slightly different taste than regular kale. I actually think it’s a good substitute for broccoli rabe (which I also love). It has the same deep, green vegetal flavor as broccoli rabe but without the bitterness. I cooked it down in olive oil with salt and pepper, added a little lemon juice, and a few canned tomatoes, then served it over pasta.

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