- Hearty
Pasta with Greens
- BY DANA JACOBI
- FROM THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE
FOR CANCER RESEARCH
Ever since sprightly-green
pesto opened our eyes to enjoying pasta with more than red sauces,
Americans have become progressively more adventurous. Traveling
in Italy, watching television chefs and reading cookbooks like
Jack Bishop's Pasta e Verdura, with its 140 vegetable sauces,
have taught us to appreciate the many dishes that green vegetables
inspire.
Bishop, who uses the Italian
approach creatively, braises fennel and kale together, adding
a lilt of balsamic vinegar after they have simmered gently until
tender. He recommends serving this bold combination over whole
wheat pasta, an idea I will come back to.
In a more traditional vein,
I have enjoyed the Sicilian favorite, Vruoccole Arriminatu, made
from the local, green cauliflower called "broccoli,"
plus raisins, pine nuts and saffron. Some versions include almonds,
tomatoes, or anchovies.
In Abruzzo and Puglia, I found
more pasta with greens. The Abruzzese dish I enjoy combines chunky,
dumpling-shaped cavatelli with arugula. Although it includes
tomato sauce, I prefer it with just the greens and lots of onions.
Interestingly, the friend who first made it for me says her mother
learned it while staying in Puglia, where one of my all-time
favorite pasta dishes, orichette with pungent rape, originated.
Thick, ear-shaped orichette
are also available in America. Most supermarkets sell broccoli
rabe, but cleaning and blanching these tough-stemmed, leafy greens
takes more time than most of us have for a quick meal. Arugula,
another pungent green, only needs wilting and simmering with
broth, and also pairs well with pasta.
Pasta made from farro, a dark
wheat used in both Abruzzo and Puglia, is also sold in many American
stores. Like regular whole wheat, it goes particularly well with
pungent bitter greens, including rape, arugula, Swiss chard and
kale.
Whole-Wheat Pasta with Arugula
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive
oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large bunches arugula, stemmed and washed, about 12 cups
1/2 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped dill
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp. grated pecorino cheese
8 oz. whole-wheat or farro linguini
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a medium non-stick skillet,
heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic
until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
Coarsely chop arugula. Add
it to pan, stirring with wooden spoon until arugula wilts. Stir
in broth. Cook until arugula is dark green but still chewy to
the bite, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in dill and cook 1 minute.
Remove pan from heat.
Stir ricotta and pecorino into
hot greens. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package
directions. Drain and place pasta in deep serving bowl. Season
greens to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon them on top of pasta
and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 293 calories,
8 g. total fat (3 g. saturated fat), 46 g. carbohydrate, 15 g.
protein, 6 g. dietary fiber, 180 mg. sodium.
____________________________________
"Something Different"
is written for the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)
by Dana Jacobi, author of The Joy of Soy, and recipe creator
for AICR's Stopping Cancer Before It Starts.
AICR offers a Nutrition Hotline
(1-800-843-8114) Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, a free service
that allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions about
diet, nutrition and cancer. The American Institute for Cancer
Research is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively
on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute
provides a range of education programs that help millions of
Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also
supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment
at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S.
The Institute has provided more than $62 million in funding for
research in diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR's Web address is
www.aicr.org.
AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International. |
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