Strozzapreti with kale, potatoes, and browned butter sage sauce

My original theme for the week was going to be kale, before it became eggs. Along time ago (I'd say nearly a year), I was collecting recipes to make I horded something like... 6 kale recipes, which I of course wanted to make but kale was out of season. So finally kale season came around again and I had almost entirely forgotten-- except I was trying to get back into updating Foodival more and lacked inspiration so was turning to these recipes, until the egg thing came along, but now I'm making these recipes anyway. :) At least some of them. This one I saw on Mimi Katzchen and wanted to make-- because I love pasta, and I liked the idea of such a simple recipe of just a green veggie, and carbs. And cheese. Hah! Such comfort food.

I've also been sick lately, so that also helps. I want comfort food (or soup) when I'm sick, and that's it. And chocolate, sometimes, haha, but that's a comfort food. Last night I made this pasta with chocolate mousse, so I had both. The recipe was very tasty-- though I altered it to my own needs. And, of course, I used my homemade strozzapreti that I also made yesterday. When I ate it, it very much seemed like it was worth the effort.
This was also such a filling dish, neither of us were able to finish our servings-- I nearly did, Brian had lunch and thus ate less (I had skipped lunch, I was so busy making pasta all I had was a granola bar and a latte).

This recipe is very fall/wintery. It has kale, a winter veggie, as well as the browned butter and sage-- which I often associate with pumpkin and butternut squash, also fall flavours. I really enjoyed it though, because I love browned butter and this isn't so far off from my typical Parmesan Cheese + garlic powder + butter/olive oil pasta that I normally make myself (because I'm lazy). That sometimes I'll be wild and add frozen spinach and cubes of mozzarella too. This just had potatoes. Which I never add to pasta, but seem to love together.

I'm very happy I made this. It was mild, but delicious. It was heavy, but comforting. It was just what I needed, and I'm happy with it.
So this is also an Eggland recipe, because I used my fresh eggland pasta with it. But at the same time, it isn't. Whatever the case, it's fantastic and I <3 it.

Strozzapreti with kale, potatoes, and browned butter sage sauce
Adapted from mimikatzchen

2 tablespoons butter
1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed
5 sage leaves
1/2 a bunch of kale
salt and pepper
1/2 a medium white potato, chopped into small pieces.
1/2 pound strozzapreti
3 oz italian fontina cheese, cubed
freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt the butter. Add the garlic and sage after butter is melted over medium to medium-low heat until the butter is lightly browned and nutty smelling. Turn off the heat and discard the garlic.
Chop the kale coarsely. Add the salt and kale to the water when it is boiling and boil for four minutes. Add the chopped potatoes and boil for six more minutes until both are tender. School out, shake off water, and reserve. In the same water, cook the pasta until al dente and drain.
Combine the pasta, kale, and potatoes. Pour the butter and sage over the mixture and use some of the pasta or kale to wipe out the butter pan. Add the fontina cheese and a generous portion of parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss well.