WHOLE WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH GREEN GARLIC AND CHICORY

Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Green Garlic and Chicory image

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 20m

Yield Serves four

Number Of Ingredients 9

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1 head chicory (also sold as escarole and curly endive lettuce)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced green garlic
1 dried red pepper, broken in half, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
A generous amount of freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, as needed

Steps:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Meanwhile, remove the tough outer leaves of the chicory, and clean the remaining leaves of sand. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chicory. Blanch one minute, then transfer to the ice water with a skimmer or slotted spoon (do not drain the water from the pot). Drain the chicory, squeeze out water and chop. Set aside.
Combine the olive oil, garlic and chili pepper in a large, heavy skillet. Heat over medium heat until the garlic begins to sizzle. Allow the garlic to sizzle for about a minute, but do not let it color. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside. If using a whole chili pepper, remove it and discard.
Bring the water back to a boil, and add the spaghetti. Cook al dente following the timing directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, return the frying pan to medium heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle again, add the chicory. Toss together, season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
When the spaghetti is cooked al dente, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta water and add it to the pan with the chicory. Stir together well. Drain the pasta, and toss with the chicory and garlic. Serve, topping each serving with a spoonful of Parmesan.