ORECCHIETTE WITH WHITE BEANS AND CHARD

Orecchiette with White Beans and Chard image

This simple, filling one-dish meal is perfect for weeknights. The secret ingredient is the white beans; crushing them slightly helps them break down into a luxurious light sauce for the pasta. If fresh shelling beans happen to be in season, this is a great way to use them (you'll need to cook them separately first). The beans nestle perfectly into the cup shape of the "little ear" pasta, so be sure to use orecchiette for this dish. Pancetta adds a boost of flavor, but you could also substitute a few tablespoons of olive oil to make this dish vegetarian. And for a spicy kick, you can also add a pinch of chile flakes when you sauté the onions.

Yield SERVES 6 AS A MAIN DISH

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 large bunch chard, about 14 ounces (see Note)
Kosher salt
1 pound dried orecchiette
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) finely diced pancetta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (one 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
2 teaspoons chopped thyme or sage, or a combination
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, more as needed
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Steps:

To prepare the chard, strip the leaves off the stems. Coarsely chop the leaves and dice the stems into 1/2-inch chunks, keeping them separate.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook until just barely al dente (2 to 3 minutes less than the package instructs). Scoop out and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta well; do not rinse.
Return the empty pot to the burner on medium-high heat. Once the pot is dry and hot, add the pancetta with 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and most of the fat has rendered out, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and continue to cook until the onions are softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped chard stems and continue to cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer.
Add the beans and use a potato masher or spoon to gently mash about half of them (to break them down and thicken the sauce). Add the thyme or sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of the pasta water and stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir in the chard leaves, cover, and cook until the chard is tender, 2 to 3 more minutes.
Add the drained pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, until the pasta is just al dente and the liquid has reduced to a creamy coating of sauce, 1 to 2 minutes longer. (Add a little more pasta water if it seems too dry.)
Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as needed. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano.
Just about any type of chard will do, although red chard's pigment will bleed into the dish, and it also has a tendency to become bitter. You can also use kale or spinach instead of chard; kale will take a little longer to cook, spinach a little less.