Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Gorgonzola And Escarole Food

WHOLE-WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH GORGONZOLA AND ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot ofsalted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente; drain, and return to pot.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoonsbutter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion and garlic;season with salt and pepper.Cook, stirring, until onion starts to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add as much escarole to skillet as will fit; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, adding more escarole as room becomes available. Continueto cook until escarole is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add remaining tablespoonbutter and escarole mixture (with any pan juices) to pasta in pot; season with salt and pepper,and toss to combine. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola, and serve immediately.

WHOLE-GRAIN PASTA WITH CHICKPEAS AND ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the package directions; add the escarole during the last 2 minutes, cover and do not stir. Remove the escarole with tongs; set aside. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Meanwhile, if you're using capers, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the capers and fry until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Cook the garlic, parsley and red pepper flakes until the garlic toasts slightly, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, a pinch of salt and the bay leaves. Cook until the tomatoes and chickpeas brown, about 6 minutes. Add the escarole and reserved tomato juice and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 4 more minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
• Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss with the sauce; season with salt and pepper. (If the sauce is thick, add some reserved pasta water.) Stir in the cheese and top with fried capers, if using, and more cheese.

WHOLE WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH GREEN GARLIC AND CHICORY

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Meanwhile, remove the tough outer leaves of the chicory, and clean the remaining leaves of sand. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chicory. Blanch one minute, then transfer to the ice water with a skimmer or slotted spoon (do not drain the water from the pot). Drain the chicory, squeeze out water and chop. Set aside.
• Combine the olive oil, garlic and chili pepper in a large, heavy skillet. Heat over medium heat until the garlic begins to sizzle. Allow the garlic to sizzle for about a minute, but do not let it color. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside. If using a whole chili pepper, remove it and discard.
• Bring the water back to a boil, and add the spaghetti. Cook al dente following the timing directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, return the frying pan to medium heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle again, add the chicory. Toss together, season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
• When the spaghetti is cooked al dente, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta water and add it to the pan with the chicory. Stir together well. Drain the pasta, and toss with the chicory and garlic. Serve, topping each serving with a spoonful of Parmesan.