Recipe: Lemon Swiss Chard Pasta

Duration: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 pax

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Ingredients

• 285gr linguine (can replace with spaghetti or fettucini)


• 45gr pitted green olives 


• 2 tablespoons capers + 1 teaspoon brine (from jar)


• 80ml extra virgin olive oil


• 1 lemon


• 1 large diced yellow onion 

• 1 bunch chopped Swiss chard (can replace with another sturdy leafy green like Kale or Spinach)


• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 tablespoon butter (optional, can use more olive oil instead)

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 5 cloves minced garlic

• 55gr grated Parmesan (more for garnish)

• 15gr chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare lemon

 Zest 1 lemon, removing just the yellow zest (avoid white pith).

Juice the lemon (¼ cup of juice ~60ml) then set aside.


2. Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook linguine until just tender. 

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water (~240ml) then drain noodles.


3. Mix olives and capers

Add 45gr pitted green olives, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 teaspoon brine, lemon juice and zest. Pulse until a rough paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed.


4. Cook the sauce

Heat 80ml extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook 1 large diced yellow onion, until very soft and golden brown on the edges for 10 minutes.

Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant for 1 - 2 minutes.

Stir in a bunch of chopped Swiss chard and cook until it begins to wilt, about 2 minutes.


5. Combine

Add pasta with butter, the olive and caper mixture, and 120ml of the reserved pasta water.

Toss to coat noodles. Sprinkle with sea salt and grated parmesan, then toss to mix.

Slowly drizzle in as much of the remaining pasta water needed so the noodles are evenly coated with sauce.

Sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley. 


Taste and season with black pepper (and more salt if needed).

Garnish with more cheese.

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Source: https://tinyurl.com/myrecipe4e