On the evenings when pasta and tomato sauce feel redundant, reach into your pantry and pull out some pine nuts and golden raisins. You’ll make a pine nut-infused oil and quickly cook up chard for a welcome change to your pasta routine and a few new skills to boot.
Ingredients
1lbDried whole wheat pasta
1bunchSwiss chard
1/4cupPine nuts
1cupOlive oil
1/2cupGolden raisins
Instructions
Bring a large stock pot filled with water to a heavy boil with 3 Tbsps salt.
Stem the chard, chop finely and set aside.
Place the pine nuts in a large saute pan with the olive oil. Circle the pan over medium heat just until the nuts begin to brown. As soon as you see color, remove the pan from the heat and spoon out the nuts, setting them aside for plating later.
Add the chard to the oil over medium heat and toss until just wilting. Start cooking the pasta and once al dente, pick the pasta up with a pair of tongs or a strainer and toss into the oil and chard. Toss in the nuts and the raisins, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately.