Pasta with Greens & Ricotta
Mustard greens and broccoli raab (also called brocoletti di rape, rape, and rapini) are somewhat bitter, a good counterpoint to creamy, subtly flavored ricotta cheese.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove the tough stems from the mustard greens and chop the leaves. If using broccoli raab, discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the stems and chop the rest. Rinse and drain the greens.
Step 2
When the water boils, cook the pasta until al dente.
Step 3
While the pasta cooks, in a large skillet or pot on low heat, cook the garlic in the oil until golden. Add a couple of handfuls of the still damp greens to the skillet and stir until wilted. Continue adding greens and stirring until all of the greens are in the skillet. Add some of the pasta-cooking water, if needed, to prevent sticking, and cook until the greens are tender but still bright green. Add the salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
Step 4
In a large serving bowl, stir about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water into the ricotta cheese and whisk until smooth. When the pasta is done, drain it, and add to the ricotta. Add the wilted greens and 1/2 cup of the grated cheese and toss well. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with the rest of the grated cheese.
Serving & menu ideas
Step 5
Beet Salad (page 209) or Carrot Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette (page 217) looks beautiful and tastes great with this pasta.
