Swiss Chard and Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Step 1

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the Swiss chard for 5 minutes. Scoop out the chard, and drain well, squeezing out as much of the water as possible. Chop again and set aside.

Step 2

Keep the pot of water boiling, and add the spaghetti noodles. Follow the directions on the packet for making the spaghetti. Drain and set aside, retaining about 1 cup of liquid from cooking the noodles.

Step 3

Fry bacon until just crispy. Add the shallot and saute until soft, adding olive oil if needed.

Step 4

Add the Swiss chard and toss well to break up the chard clumps.

Step 5

Combine the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses in a small bowl, and add the lemon zest, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add to the Swiss chard mixture in the saute pan and mix well.

Step 6

Add cooked spaghetti, and some of the pasta water as needed.

Step 7

Serve warm.