Ingredients
Salt and pepper
10-12 Tuscan or black kale leaves, stemmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 1/2 cups fresh sheep's milk ricotta or cow's milk ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 loaf ciabatta bread (14-16 inches long), split and sliced crosswise into 4 pieces
3/4 pound Taleggio cheese or Italian fontina cheese, sliced
Directions
In a large pot, bring a few inches of water to a boil and salt it. Add the kale and boil for 3 minutes. Drain the kale, then plunge it into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Shake dry and finely chop.
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, one turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling, until brown, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO and the thyme; season with salt and pepper. Slather the cheese mixture evenly over the four bread pieces, then evenly top with the sausage, kale, Taleggio (or fontina) and remaining 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
