Recipe-Spelt Pasta w Swiss Chard, Pistachio and Ricotta Salata

Right now you can find different greens that are in season, and spring onions are also just coming up. Seasonal cooking-boom. Unlike me using fresh tomato in mid April of suspect location, you can make this now with ingredients grown locally.

As usual this dish highlights the small batch pasta we make with it’s slight bite and great chew. The nuttiness of the spelt is great but you can sub regular, or whole wheat pasta if you like. The pistachio gives a great crunchy contrast to the soft slightly bitter chard and the ricotta salata has that cheesy salty thing working. I like trying these different “sauces” with the spelt and whole wheat pasta and the family enjoyed it too. It’s whole grain pasta that tastes good! We’re so healthy.

Spelt Pasta, Swiss Chard, Ricotta Salata, Pistachio

1 lb spelt pasta

1 lb Swiss chard washed and sliced

3 small spring onions or ½ small red onion sliced

1 cup ricotta salata coarsely grated

1 cup pistachios toasted and chopped

1 clove garlic sliced

Chili flakes to taste

4T EVOO

¼ C veg stock or water

1. If you didn’t do it yet, boil your water! In a large skillet over med low heat add EVOO, onion, and chili flake. Sauté 4-5 min until onion softens.
2. Add chard and garlic season w salt and pepper and sauté   for 3-4 more min. Add stock or water partially cover and braise for 15 min. Meanwhile, drop your pasta in boiling water
3. When the chard has braised and pasta is a minute or two short of al dente drain the pasta and add it to the skillet w a little more pasta water as needed.
4. Finish cooking pasta in skillet, check seasoning. Cut the heat.
5. Garnish with ricotta salata,  pistachio, and EVOO
6. Attack that carby goodness.

2 Responses to “Recipe-Spelt Pasta w Swiss Chard, Pistachio and Ricotta Salata”

Author comments are in a darker gray color for you to easily identify the posts author in the comments

1. Neva says:

   May 1, 2012 at 7:44 pm

   ok, i give…what is ‘ricotta salata’? It’s not regular ricotta cheese, is it?

   Reply
   • Jeff says:

     May 2, 2012 at 12:59 am

     Not regular ricotta. Imagine if ricotta and Parmesan had a baby. It was originally a way to make fresh ricotta last. The salt, press and dry it. It can be grated or crumbled. Try it!

     Reply