Lemon-Touched Creamy Kale and Sausage Linguini

Put a large pot of water on the stove. Season the water with the 1 tsp of sea salt and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Add the linguini to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions till it's al dente.

Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.

While the pasta is cooking, place a large nonstick skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the crumbled sausage in the hot olive oil, browning it evenly for around 8 minutes.

To the sausage, add the sliced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.

Add the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper to the pan. Stir and let it simmer for about 5 minutes till it thickens.

Fold in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped kale into the creamy sauce. Let it cook for about 2 minutes until the kale slightly wilts.

Return the drained pasta to the pan, stirring to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.

Serve the pasta hot, garnished with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and additional grated Parmesan cheese.