Linguine with Pancetta and Swiss Chard

The simplicity of this recipe is what makes it so good. Flavorful pancetta gives the dish a delicately salty, meaty quality without the aggressive smokiness bacon would add. Use any greens--turnip or collard greens, kale, or curly endive.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups pasta and 4 teaspoons cheese)

Ingredients

• 1  pound  Swiss chard
• 3  ounces  pancetta, diced
• 1/4  cup  finely chopped onion
• 2  tablespoons  minced fresh garlic
• 1/2  to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1  pound  uncooked linguine
• 3/4  cup  (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Rinse and drain chard; pat dry with paper towels. Remove stems and center ribs from chard, and cut ribs and stems crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Cut chard leaves into 1-inch strips.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook 6 minutes or until browned. Add onion and garlic, and cook 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add chard stems, and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chard leaves and red pepper; cook 5 minutes or until chard wilts, tossing frequently.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta in a colander over a bowl; reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. Add reserved pasta water and pasta to chard mixture; cook over medium-high heat 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Add parsley, salt, and black pepper; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

426 (28% from fat)

Fat:

13.1g (sat 5.7g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

17.7g

Carbohydrate:

60.1g

Fiber:

3.5g

Cholesterol:

19mg

Iron:

3.6mg

Sodium:

511mg

Calcium:

212mg