Cook pasta in 4-6 quarts of boiling salted water until al dente, 10-12 minutes.
Chop kale into bite-sized pieces and cook over medium-low heat in a sauté pan with a lid. Add the garlic and half the olive oil, and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until kale is fork tender. Make sure the lid stays on, as the steam will help cook the kale.
Toss the cooked kale and pasta together with the remainder of the olive oil, and toss with pepitas. Serve with Cotija or Parmesan garnish, if desired.