Swiss Chard Pasta With Toasted Hazelnuts and Parmesan

Ingredients for Swiss Chard Pasta With Toasted Hazelnuts and Parmesan

• 40g hazelnuts

• 450g bow tie pasta (farfalle)

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more if needed

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced

• Hefty pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems finely chopped and greens thinly sliced

• 110g Parmesan cheese, shaved

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (optional)

Add the hazelnuts to a small skillet over medium heat. Toast them slowly, shaking the pan often, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the skillet, and when they are cool enough to handle, roughly chop the nuts.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain it, reserving 120ml the cooking liquid and add it to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add the garlic and use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture constantly until the butter begins to brown and have a slight nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Give the mixture a good stir, and then set it aside to infuse for about 5 minutes longer away from the heat.

Pour the butter mixture (scraping the garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes) all over the warm pasta. If the pasta feels a bit dry, add a touch of the reserved cooking liquid. Toss to combine and set aside.

Set the same skillet (without cleaning it) over medium-high heat. Add the chard stems and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chard leaves and continue to cook, tossing the mixture every so often, until the greens begin to wilt and turn bright green, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Add a touch more butter or oil to the pan if it dries out too much.

Add the Swiss chard and hazelnuts to the pasta and toss it all together. Add the Parmesan shavings and the balsamic vinegar (if you’re using it); toss. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Localize it: You can use kale instead of chard, and any nut will work in place of the hazelnuts. Fresh out of balsamic vinegar? Red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice will work.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.