Spaghetti With Chard and Parmesan

I’ve spent the last couple days trying to figure out what the heck to do with the green chard that I got in Monday’s produce delivery. To be honest, I’ve never purchased chard to cook. I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten it, though I think chances are good that I have and didn’t know it. My dad always tried to sneak healthy ingredients into my family’s food when I was a kid (and still does now).

Anywho, I finally settled on a recipe I found on foodnetwork.com by Giada – Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese. I had to sub out a few ingredients based on what I already had in my kitchen. I decided to make Spaghetti With Chard and Parmesan. I thought I had wheat pasta on hand but only had regular and with the tight budget I have for the rest of February, I didn’t feel like getting more.

I got to use a lot of pantry ingredients for the dish and two that I bought yesterday.

While I sliced the onions, I toasted the pine nuts (leftover from my Macaroni Grill dinner).

While the onions cooked, I cleaned and prepped the chard.

Apparently the “chard” I got in my delivery was “Green Chard.” I guess this is different than “Swiss Chard”?

The chard barely fit in the pot…

…but it wilted down nicely.

I timed the pasta to finish cooking when the veggies did so I could move the pasta straight from the boiling water to the cooked veggies…just like Giada.

I decided to mix a wee bit of parm into the hot pasta. I like to use one forked utensil and one spooned utensil to toss the pasta.

Spoon into a bowl, top with parm and toasted pine nuts, and enjoy! I thought this dish was pretty darn tasty and a nice way to use up pantry ingredients. You could easily sub another leafy green for the chard – I bet spinach would be wonderful! Make sure you use a good cheese since there are so few ingredients.

Spaghetti With Chard and Parmesan
Adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis’s recipe

Ingredients

   * 1 tablespoon olive oil

   * 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

   * 1 bunches chard, trimmed and chopped

   * 3 garlic cloves, minced

   * 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices

   * 1/4 cup dry white wine

   * 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

   * Salt and pepper

   * 8 ounces spaghetti

   * 1 tbsp, plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

   * 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the chard and saute until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, wine, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and the chard is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season the chard mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti to the chard mixture (optionally add a little pasta water – about ¼ cup) and toss to combine. Add 1 tbsp parmesan cheese and toss to combine.

Transfer the pasta to serving bowls. Sprinkle the olives, cheese, and pine nuts and serve.