Ricotta salata and chili oil have reinvented the way I dream about whole wheat pasta. With a bountiful variety of pasta at the market, whole wheat isn’t usually the first option you’d choose, though we think it’s great for its chewy, nutty texture. Combined with buttery earthy chard, Tuscan
kale, spinach, salty cheese, and a little spicy oil, it will quickly become a pantry staple. Add this to your weeknight pasta rotation and feel a little less guilty when going back for seconds. Here are a couple of notes to think about while making this dish.
Make greens exciting:
It’s not about tasting the greens for what they are—that’s what raw salads are for. Here the chard, kale, and spinach are sponges absorbing aromas of garlic, sweet shallot, white wine, and butter. Let them wilt for awhile so they slightly melt themselves around the penne.
Not too saucy:
My intention was to make this a lighter pasta without too much sauce. It should be a nice addition to a roasted chicken dinner or on the side of grilled salmon over the summer. The white wine absorbs into the greens while the vegetable stock and butter create a slightly glossy sauce to cover the penne. The greens are the star here.
The components:
Ricotta salata and chili oil bring this recipe together. These ingredients are much easier to find than you might think. I also say they’re worth scavenging for if your local market doesn’t have them in stock (keep searching!). If you’re out of luck, feta or cojita are fine substitutes that are both crumbly and salty. My favorite chili oil brands are Lao Gan Ma and Fly By Jing. Perhaps you might try to make chili oil yourself!
Storage:
You can store any leftover pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!