Facing down the possibilty that fresh produce may be in short supply in the coming weeks I’ve been stocking up on hearty vegetables that have a longer shelf like kale and Swiss chard. I’m also thinking about creative ways to waste less food in the kitchen. I worked with Equal Parts on these two recipes featuring Swiss chard using both the leafy greens and tough bitter stems that also incorporate some basic pantry staples. Pasta with Anchovies, Swiss Chard and Garlic Breadcrumbs is easy enough to make during the week but feels a little more elevated than your standard pantry pasta. Reserve the stems for the Swiss Chard and follow the recipe below for Homemade Hummus, the stems replaces chickpeas in this surprisingly delicious and easy recipe. Tahini is one of those pantry items that I find I am increasingly incorporating into recipes, think about adding it to your grocery list.
Pasta with Anchovies, Swiss Chard, and Garlic Breadcrumbs
Created for Equal Parts
Ingredients
- 5 tbs olive oil, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (or take 5 slices of stale bread, toast and put in food processor)
- 5 anchovy fillets in oil, finely chopped
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves chopped, stems removed but reserved
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 tbs butter, cut into pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lemon zest from 1 lemon
- Freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- 1 lb of bucatini or long spaghetti
Directions
- Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large pan, add breadcrumbs and stir well until coated in oil, add breadcrumbs and toast until golden brown 2-3 mins. Transfer breadcrumb and garlic mixture to a small bowl.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid, drain pasta and set aside
- Heat remaining 3 tbs oil in the pan over medium heat. Cook anchovies approx 3 mins, mashing with a wooden spoon or spatula until they start to dissolve in oil. Add Swiss chard and red pepper flakes, cooking 1 more min until Swiss chard is wilted.
- Add pieces of butter along with pasta and approx ½ of the cooking liquid to pan with Swiss chard. Continue to cook for a 1-2 mins tossing with tongs. If the pasta mixture looks dry, slowly add more water. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, a squirt of lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.
- Divide pasta among bowls, top with breadcrumbs and top with cheese.
Swiss Chard Stalk Hummus
Created for Equal Parts
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of Swiss chard stalks, coarsely chopped
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbs olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Directions
- Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add Swiss chard stalks and cook until tender, about 15 mins. Drain well. 2.Pulse the garlic in a food processor until chopped. Add the swiss chard stalks and pulse until combined. Add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and salt processing until mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil before serving.
Bedford Balabusta 
Looks delicious and uses a great staple green.
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