Swiss Chard and Olive Pasta, with Fresh Herbs and Toasted Walnuts
Enjoy the seasonal Swiss Chard prepared two ways! A pureed sauce with pasta creates a bold base for sautéed Chard with fresh herbs. Tossed together with an aged cheese and toasty walnuts, this recipe is sure to please!
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Skillet
- Kitchen knife
- Mixing bowl
- Immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 whole Half of a squeezed lemon Keep peel for garnish
- 1/4 cup Green Olives
- 2 tsp Capers Liquid included
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
- 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Fresh chopped Basil
- 1 tbsp Fresh chopped Mint
- 1 bunch Large bunch of Swiss Chard (about 5 inch diameter)
- 1/8 cup Raw Walnuts
- 3 tbsp Aged Parmesan Cheese
- 1 box Linguini or pasta of preference I used an edamame noodle here
Instructions
Chard puree and Walnuts
- In a mixing bowl, add most of the oil, olives, minced clove of garlic, capers, half of the parsley, a few of the chard leaves, red pepper and lemon juice. Using the immersion blender, create a paste and set aside.
- In a skillet, adding a small splash of olive oil, toast walnuts until a light brown. Set on a towel aside to absorb any remaining oil.
Chard sauté
- In saucepan, prepare noodles as directed.
- As noodles are cooking, heat the skillet and add remaining olive oil. Slicing the bottom half (stems) of the chard into 1/2 inch pieces, add to skillet and sauté slightly until slightly tender. Add remaining clove of minced garlic, and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Plate
- When noodles are cooked through, toss in prepared puree, leaving a little of the pasta water to warm the sauce.
- Add chopped fresh herbs to the chard sauté at the very end to preserve freshness. On your dish, assemble noodle mixture, topping with the sautéed chard and herbs. Top with parmesan, toasted walnuts, lemon zest, and additional herbs to your liking. Option to serve with a fresh wedge of lemon for additional flavor.