Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Drunken Pasta With Beets & Swiss Chard -- 08/28/07

Drunken Pasta With Beets & Swiss Chard

Ingredients

  • 1 large bottle of red wine or 2 regular size (750 ml) bottles
  • 1 box spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 large red beet, peeled and grated on a box grater*
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch of red swiss chard, leaves torn from the tough stem and shredded
  • 1/3 pound ricotta salata cheese, crumbled

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Place a large pot over high heat and add the wine. Fill the rest of the pot with water about 1/2-3/4 of the way up the sides. Bring to a boil, add some salt and the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente according to the instructions on the box. Reserve 1-2 cups of the cooking liquid when you drain it.

Step

While the pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the garlic and the grated beet, season with a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Step

Add the swiss chard to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until it starts to wilt down.

Step

Add the drained pasta to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and toss it around to combine. Add some of the reserved pasta water if you like the sauce more loose. Crumble the ricotta salata on top and serve.