Swiss Chard Pasta

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We like the taste of Swiss chard but were surprised at how well it worked with the pasta. And the look - a really beautiful dish on the table. Adapted from the "The New Cook's Tour of Sonoma" as reported in the San Jose Mercury News.  

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time:  15 minutes

• 16 oz penne pasta
• 1 pound green Swiss chard
• 1 tbsp coarse mustard
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed. Do not use minced garlic.
• half tsp red pepper
• 4 oz grated Romano cheese
• 4 oz prosciutto
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil.

Wash and dry chard. Slice the white stalks into 1/4 inch long pieces - little strips really. Slice the dark green leaves into 1/2 inch pieces. Keep them separate and set aside.

Add the pasta to the water.

In a bowl combine mustard and vinegar, just stir it up a bit.

In a large sauce pan heat the olive oil over a hot stove until the oil shimmers. Before the oil smokes add the garlic and pepper. Sauté until the garlic is a golden brown. Add the white chard stems and cook 3 minutes. Add the chard leaves, cover and cook until wilted; about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and salt to taste.

Drain the pasta and put it in a large bowl. Add the mustard mixture and toss the pasta; coat it well. Add remaining ingredients and toss to mix well.  Serve immediately.

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