Gigli all'Erbazzone
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Swiss Chard - This is a great recipe to get excited about those tops of beets, Turnips and radishes that so often end up in compost. They are delicious and nutritious. We suggest using them in addition to the swiss chard (or using a mix, our favorite pastas are ones that use what you have!). Pre-blanched frozen greens like spinach or kale work in a pinch too.
Let’s Talk Ricotta Cheese - Most ricotta on the American market is not very traditional. Nowadays, ricotta is made from whole milk (hence why on most packages you see it labeled “whole milk ricotta”) but traditionally it is made from the whey after farmers make cheeses like parmigiano reggiano or other cow milk cheese. Traditional ricotta tends to be firmer and “dryer” than what we get here in the USA. We always recommend using a local product and there are some great handmade whole milk ricottas out there. To achieve the ideal texture we like to hang our ricotta overnight in the fridge in cheesecloth. This allows the excess moisture to drip out (save it, it's delicious in your next bread or pancake recipe) and leaves you with a more flavorful and thicker ricotta.
Make it Vegetarian- Simply omit the pancetta, we like to add an extra clove of garlic and some extra black pepper when making this vegetarian.
Make it Gluten Free - We love our GF Radiatori or GF Creste di Gallo pasta. (please note that 1 box of our GF pasta contains 12 oz of pasta versus our egg noodle pasta is 13.7 oz, if you have big eaters in your family we would recommend grabbing 2 boxes and taking out 1 handful of the second and save the rest for another day!)
Ready to serve in: 45 minutes Active time: 30-45 minutes Serves: 4 Adults
Ingredients
13.7oz or 1 Package of Trenchers Farmhouse Gigli Fresh Pasta
6 oz pancetta (or thick cut bacon)
1 large bunch (14oz) fresh Swiss chard, washed
8oz (225 g) Ricotta Cheese
2 cloves Garlic
2 large Leeks
2 tsp Vegetable oil
3-4 sprigs of thyme
3-4 sprigs of oregano
1 bunch of chives
1 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
50 g Parmigiano Reggiano (2oz) grated
Balsamic Vinegar, to taste
Salt, to taste
Black Pepper
Method
Prep the ingredients: Slice the leeks in half lengthwise. Wash well, then slice into thin half moons. Mince or grate the garlic and mix with leeks. Remove the stems from the swiss chard. Finely dice the stems and mix with leeks and garlic. Slice the greens into thin ¼ inch slices. Keep greens separate from leek mixture. Dice the pancetta into small pieces. Remove the herbs from their stems and chop the oregano and thyme. Thinly slice the chives and mix all herbs together, set aside.
In a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and 2 tsp of vegetable oil. Saute over medium-low until pancetta is rendered and crisp. Remove the pancetta from the pan, keeping all the fat in the pan. Turn the heat to low and add the leek mixture and a generous pinch of salt. Saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add Swiss Chard and sweat down until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the pancetta back to the pan along with 8 oz of ricotta cheese. Stir until incorporated. Add grated nutmeg, black pepper
Cook the Gigli pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
Add the gigli pasta to the swiss chard and ricotta mixture along with the cup of pasta water. Cook until thickened and sauce coats the Gigli. Season with salt, balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs!
Buon Appetito!