SERVES 4 TO 6
This easy, lemony pasta is dressed up with burrata cheese, which adds a show-stopping richness. The choice of pasta shape here is deliberate as orecchiette (Italian for “little ear”) is the perfect vehicle for scooping up the creamy sauce and cheese. Similar shapes, like fusilli, cavatelli, gemelli, and conchiglie (small shells) are also good options.
Kosher salt:
1 pound dried orecchiette pasta
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound (about 1 large or 2 small bunches) Swiss chard, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces, ribs and stems thinly sliced crosswise
3 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (from about 4 to 5 large lemons, divided)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 2 large lemons)
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
12 ounces burrata cheese
½ cup torn basil leaves
Coarsely ground black pepper
In a large saucepan of well-salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the garlic, pepper flakes, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the chard leaves and stems and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the greens are wilted. Add the remaining chard leaves and stems, 2 tablespoons of the lemon zest, and the lemon juice. Cook, stirring, until all of the chard is just wilted. Remove the pan from the heat.
Reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the chard and the reserved cooking water and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Spoon the pasta into bowls. Cut the burrata cheese into 1-inch chunks. Top the pasta with the burrata and sprinkle with the basil leaves and remaining 1 tablespoon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
The tender stems of Swiss chard are edible and delicious, and great to include whenever you are cooking this green. Simply cut away any dry or tough bits at the end of each stem then slice the rest.