One of Gordan Ramsays favourite recipes from www.channel4.com Author: www.channel4.com Recipe type: Dinner Cuisine: Modern Italian Serves: 4 Ingredients: 500g dried orecchiette pasta 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 200g kale or cavolo nero, shredded 4 tbsp pine nuts, toasted Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to taste For the meatballs 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced Olive oil, for frying 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 500g minced beef 75g fresh breadcrumbs 3–4 tbsp milk Instructions: First prepare the meatballs. Sauté the onion and garlic with seasoning in a hot oiled frying pan for about 5 minutes until soft and lightly coloured, adding the chilli flakes after a minute or two. Place the mince in a large bowl and add seasoning. Put the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl and moisten with the milk. Add seasoning, then stir the breadcrumbs and onion mixture into the mince and combine well. With wet hands, shape the mince mixture into small balls about 2cm wide. Transfer to a lightly greased plate or tray and chill for 30 minutes until firm. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, according to packet instructions. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a little olive oil. Brown the meatballs for 6 minutes until coloured on all sides. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until tender, then add the kale and season. Sweat the kale over a medium heat for 5 minutes with a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water from the pasta. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary, then stir in the pine nuts. Drain the pasta, reserving a few tablespoons of cooking water. Tip the pasta into the pan with the meatballs and stir over a medium-low heat until well mixed. Add a good handful of finely grated parmesan, and mix well with a little cooking water to help coat the pasta. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Serve garnished with another grating of parmesan.