Baked Tilapia & Creamy Kale

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Place the pasta in a strainer. Thoroughly rinse under water to remove any excess starch. Once boiling, add the pasta to the pot and cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Peel 2 cloves of garlic; using a zester or the small side of a box grater, finely grate into a paste. Using a zester or the small side of a box grater, zest the lemon to get 2 teaspoons. Quarter and deseed the lemon. In a large bowl, combine the garlic paste and lemon zest.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add 1/2 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat.

To the bowl of prepared garlic paste and lemon zest, add the mascarpone, labneh, cream, romano, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Add the cooked pasta and cooked kale; season with salt and pepper. Stir to thoroughly combine. Transfer to a baking dish (making sure the kale is evenly distributed).

Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave (or melt in a small pot on the stove, then transfer to a small bowl). Add the breadcrumbs to the bowl; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels (remove the tails, if desired).Place in a separate, large bowl; season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Stir to coat. Place the seasoned shrimp on top of the dressed pasta and kale. Evenly top with the seasoned breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. 

Bake the prepared shrimp and pasta 8 to 11 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the shrimp are cooked through. Remove from the oven. Let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Serve the baked shrimp and pasta topped with the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!