WILTED MUSTARD-GREEN PASTA

Wilted Mustard-Green Pasta image

Yield Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a first course

Number Of Ingredients 5

1/2 pound short pasta such as gemelli
1 to 2 bunches mustard greens (about 1 pound)
3 garlic cloves
2 lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil

Steps:

Bring a 6-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water to a boil for pasta.
Remove and discard ribs from greens. Coarsely chop greens and finely chop garlic. Finely grate zest from lemons.
Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. While pasta is cooking, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet cook zest and garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden and remove skillet from heat. Add greens to garlic mixture with salt and pepper to taste, tossing with tongs until greens are wilted. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta in a colander. Add hot pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water to greens and cook over moderately low heat, tossing until combined well. If mixture is too dry, stir in more pasta cooking water.