Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 400 g dried orecchiette pasta, dry
- 4000 ml water
- 30 g kosher salt
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 swiss chard
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Sauce & Finish
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 120 g fresh goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 lemon
- 2 g red pepper flakes
- salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 597 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbohydrates
- 87 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 3432 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 14 mg
- Potassium
- 708 mg
- Calcium
- 201 mg
- Iron
- 5.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 92 mg
- Phosphorus
- 153 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 444 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 134 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 635 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 59 mcg
- Water
- 1212 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Separate the Swiss chard stems from the leaves. Finely chop the stems and roughly chop the leaves into bite-sized ribbons. Keep them separate.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (100°C/212°F). Add the orecchiette and cook according to package directions until al dente.
While the water boils, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, red bell peppers, and chopped chard stems. Sauté until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the chopped chard leaves to the pan. Cook until just wilted.
Add the drained pasta and half of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss vigorously to coat the pasta in the vegetable mixture.
Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and half of the goat cheese until it begins to melt and create a creamy coating. If the mixture is dry, add more reserved pasta water.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately topped with the remaining crumbled goat cheese and lemon zest.
Chef's Notes
- Orecchiette ('little ears') is the ideal shape for this dish because the cup-like center scoops up the goat cheese and small vegetable pieces.
- Do not skip the lemon zest; the acidity cuts through the rich goat cheese and earthy chard, balancing the flavor profile.
- If you cannot find Swiss chard, kale is a robust alternative, but it will require 2-3 extra minutes of cooking time to tenderize.
- For a deeper flavor, let the red peppers caramelize slightly before adding the garlic.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce.
Reheating: Gently warm on the stove over low heat with a splash of water or broth.
Troubleshooting
The dish is dry and the cheese isn't coating the pasta
Cause: Not enough pasta water was added or the pasta absorbed the moisture too quickly
Fix: Add hot water (or vegetable broth) 1 tablespoon at a time while tossing until creamy
Prevention: Always reserve more pasta water than you think you need
Swiss chard stems are crunchy/hard
Cause: Stems were not cooked long enough before adding the leaves
Fix: Add a splash of water to the pan and cover for 2 minutes to steam them rapidly
Prevention: Cook stems with the onions and peppers; add leaves only at the very end
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from the Puglia region of Italy, where orecchiette and bitter greens (typically cime di rapa) are a staple pairing. The addition of goat cheese introduces a modern, creamy element that contrasts with the traditional olive oil-based sauce.
