Chard & White Bean Penne
This pasta dish has everything you could ask for on a weekday night: simple, quick, healthy and super tasty. The trick is to stir it often after adding the beans so that they start to break up a bit and release some starch, which will combine with the liquids from the vegetables to make a creamy coating for the pasta.
Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked penne or other tube style pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and coarsely chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped, or a 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes with the juice drained
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/8 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or vegan alternative)
Method
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and roughly chopped chard stems, cooking and stirring for four or five minutes until they start to soften. Add the garlic and cook for two minutes longer.
Stir in the chard leaves, tomatoes, beans, salt, red pepper flakes, fennel and pepper. Cook for another three to four minutes or until the chard leaves are tender, stirring frequently to break up the beans a little, releasing some of the starch.
Drain the penne, reserving a 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the penne, pasta water and basil to the skillet; toss to combine. Serve with cheese.
A nice addition to this is some crumbled sausage or vegan alternative, cooked in a separate pan until a little crispy and then stirred in at the last minute.