Ingredients
Juice of one lemon
¼-½ cup of pine nuts, toasted, as many or as few as you like
½ package of bacon or pancetta, diced (8 ounces): optional but recommended.
Splash of olive oil (only if not using bacon)
1 box of pasta of farfalle, penne, or fusilli (16 ounces)
1 red or yellow onion, sliced into ringlets
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tub of mushrooms, sliced (8 ounces)
2 bags of spinach (8-9 ounces) *See notes for alternate leafy green options*
¼ cup Parmesano-Reggiano cheese
¼-½ cup of pine nuts, toasted, as many or as few as you like
½ package of bacon or pancetta, diced (8 ounces): optional but recommended.
Splash of olive oil (only if not using bacon)
1 box of pasta of farfalle, penne, or fusilli (16 ounces)
1 red or yellow onion, sliced into ringlets
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tub of mushrooms, sliced (8 ounces)
2 bags of spinach (8-9 ounces) *See notes for alternate leafy green options*
¼ cup Parmesano-Reggiano cheese
What To Do
Cut the lemon in half to prep.
Start water boiling for pasta. While the water is heating, toast pine nuts in a small pan and set aside.
Cook the bacon/pancetta until very crispy in a large pan. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. If there is a lot of bacon oil, blot off with paper towels until there is thin coating on the bottom. Add onions to the pan and cook until almost caramelized.
(See note on if not using bacon.)
At about the time the onion is cooking, the pasta water will boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente, around 9 minutes, or according to the directions on the box.
Meanwhile, add garlic and mushrooms to the caramelizing onions. When the liquid from the mushrooms releases, add the spinach or chard and let it wilt. Squeeze one of the cut lemon halves over this mixture and toss lightly.
Drain pasta and put on a large plate. Squeeze the other half of the lemon over the pasta and toss gently. Add vegetable mix to the pasta and mix together. Add bacon, toasted pine nuts and Parmesano-Reggiano cheese and toss once more.
Start water boiling for pasta. While the water is heating, toast pine nuts in a small pan and set aside.
Cook the bacon/pancetta until very crispy in a large pan. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. If there is a lot of bacon oil, blot off with paper towels until there is thin coating on the bottom. Add onions to the pan and cook until almost caramelized.
(See note on if not using bacon.)
At about the time the onion is cooking, the pasta water will boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente, around 9 minutes, or according to the directions on the box.
Meanwhile, add garlic and mushrooms to the caramelizing onions. When the liquid from the mushrooms releases, add the spinach or chard and let it wilt. Squeeze one of the cut lemon halves over this mixture and toss lightly.
Drain pasta and put on a large plate. Squeeze the other half of the lemon over the pasta and toss gently. Add vegetable mix to the pasta and mix together. Add bacon, toasted pine nuts and Parmesano-Reggiano cheese and toss once more.
Notes
- Options for green vegetables include the larger 16-ounce box of spinach, or one large bunch of 1 bunch of swiss chard, (green parts), cut into ribbons.
- Spinach wilts and cooks very quickly, relative to chard. Don't walk away.
- Red chard is what is pictured, and has a bit more substantial bite than spinach.
- If not using bacon, simply splash a bit of olive oil in large pan and start cooking the onions.
- When you put the your choice of leafy greens into the onion/garlic/mushroom mix, it will look like a lot. Rest assured it will cook down and not overwhelm the pasta or the other elements.
