Quick boil some water! No, I’m not having a baby– it’s Default Red Chard Pasta Night.
At my house, Default Pasta makes regular appearances. In fact, I’d even go so far as to call these appearances star turns. That’s because learning how to bring forth quick, flavorful weeknight meals can be a lifesaver.
There are a lot of good reasons to master the concept of Default Pasta. Maybe you haven’t been to the grocery store for weeks on end and the fridge and pantry are pretty bare. Maybe you’ve just been busy, really busy. Of course in my world (well, most of our worlds really) Default Pasta Night happens at the end of a long day, when we’re tired, hungry and just want to get dinner out of the way with minimal mess and plenty of flavor.
That’s what the pot of boiling water I used as my opening hook is for; cooking dried pasta, the greatest friend a weeknight cook has ever had.
Red Chard Pasta with Red Fresno Chilies
This version of Red Chard Pasta comes together very easily– even for default pasta. That’s because I almost always have some sort of greens around the house. Greens are a great addition to pasta dishes. I like red Swiss chard for this dish particularly well. Red Swiss chard is a bit more flavorful than green Swiss chard and tastes like a milder version of beet greens in my opinion. In fact, beet greens would make a great substitution. I also reached for red Fresno chilies at the last minute when prepping this dish. I liked the red/red aspect. Besides, one of the rules for Default Pasta is it needs to be pretty. Red Chard Pasta is pretty. So quick boil some water! GREG
Orecchiette come from Puglia, where they are traditionally handmade. The joke is that everyone in Puglia has big, bent thumbs from pressing this pasta into the little ear shapes that give them their name.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch red chard (about 3/4 lbs, stems removed and retained, leaves torn into 2‑inch pieces)
- 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
- 2 clove garlic (peeled and minced)
- 2 red fresno chilies (halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise)
- ½ pound dried orecchiette
- 4 anchovy fillets (oil packed or salt packed and rinsed) optional
- 1 pinch kosher salt (plus 2 tablespoons more for boiling)
- 1 pinch freshly cracked black pepper (or as needed)
Directions
Thinly slice the chard stems crosswise; set aside.
Set a large pot of water over high heat, bring to a boil then add about 1 tablespoon salt (or to taste). Blanch the torn chard leaves for about a minute. Drain and squeeze to remove the excess water; chop well. Set aside. These steps can be done several hours ahead if you like.
To continue, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium heat, add the sliced chard stems and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sliced chilies; cook the mixture gently, stirring occasionally until softened but not yet beginning to color, about 2 minutes more. Add the anchovies (if using), breaking them up with a wooden spoon until dissolved into the sauce. Add the blanched chard; tossing to coat thoroughly. Add another tablespoon of olive oil; toss to coat. Turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner.
Meanwhile, set a large pot of water of high heat, bring to a boil then add about 1 tablespoon salt (or to taste). Stir in the orecchiette and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Leave the pasta in the water momentarily.
Working quickly, turn the heat back to medium under the sauté pan with the chard, garlic and chilies. Once it begins to bubble ladle about 1 cup pasta cooking water into the pan. Taste and season with a pinch each salt and pepper if necessary .
Drain the pasta and add it to the pan containing the sauce. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally to integrat the flavors, about 2 more minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; toss well to coat and serve immediately.
I our house, we call it Pasta Impromptu. And it happens a lot. Another friend calls it Miner’s Pasta (because of the fridge mining that takes place.) The leafy greens (reds?) of the chard along with all the other flavors and aromatics sound incredible… yum.
I’m loving the look of your default pasta Greg! This would be such a great, nutritious weeknight dinner 😀
This sounds like a fab dinner to me — classic, in fact! With a nice olive oil, you are ready to go. Buon appetito!
I love chard and pasta. Like you say–great easy go-to combo. I don’t know about Fresno chiles–but red pepper flakes are a must in chard and pasta creations.
This has been the first winter I have grown chard in the garden — and I’ve still got a ton of it, perfect for a pasta night.
Yes chard! I am on a mission to make chard replace kale in terms of popularity.
Such a pretty dish! I love the flecks of red against the wilted green. I have pasta several times a month, but usually with my mom’s tomato sauce 😉 This looks like a delicious deviation from my standard.
Ha–I just made a pasta very much like this the other night! Great minds think alike, clearly.
Do you have any tips on cooking the orecchiette pasta? Every time I make it, I end up with many small stacks of little hats that seem to be glued together (uncooked) in the middle. The last pot I made, I stirred the whole time hoping that would keep them separate, that did not work for me.….I’ve even tried adding oil to my pasta water!
Your recipe sounds delicious and I may just give it a go using a different shape of pasta.….
Thank you!
My best guess is not enough water in the pot. Orecchiette also take a bit longer, sometimes as much as 11 minutes. You might also try adding the pasta in several additions stirring well before you add another handful. Good luck. GREG
Thanks for the speedy reply! I’ll be heading out to Farmer’s Market this weekend and give this recipe and pasta tips a try! Thank you!
I’m such a fan of big pasta dishes during the week. This recipe is lovely Greg!
I have to confess, I pass by the beautifully colored chard week after week at the farmer’s market, and now you’ve given me a reason to buy it, thanks Greg!
I have a huge bunch of Swiss Chard in my refrigerator and didn’t have a game plan. Thank you for this recipe. It’s going to be a tasty Friday night.
This is a great example of how easy it is to work greens into a meal, even at the last minute! Love your strategy of always having some greens around, for inspiration, and to fall back on. We’ll share this on our Facebook page and link here so our fans can see your lovely dish and your recipe.
Keep it green!
–Your friendly Southern California farmers at Cut ‘N Clean Greens
Mmmmm.…chard. Mmmmm…garlic and anchovies. Sold!