Orecchiette with Rainbow Chard & Creamy Ricotta | Fine Autumn Delight

Bring a large pot of plenty of water to a boil and salt generously. Thoroughly wash the rainbow chard and shake dry. Separate the juicy stems from the leaves; cut the stems into pieces approx. 1 cm thick, and coarsely cut the leaves into strips. Peel the garlic and slice thinly. Wash the lemon in hot water, rub dry, and finely grate the zest.

Toast the pine nuts in a large, dry pan without fat over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. As soon as they smell nutty, remove immediately from the pan and let cool on a plate. In a small bowl, stir the ricotta with a little salt, a pinch of pepper, and half of the lemon zest until smooth.

Add the orecchiette to the boiling salted water and cook according to package instructions for approx. 11 to 13 minutes until al dente. Before draining, ladle out about 150 ml of the starchy pasta water with a cup and set aside.