Fettuccine with Chard and Cured Chorizo

The noodles and chard are silky, which begs for the salty crunch of the breadcrumbs.

Yield:
4 servings
Category:
Pasta
Cuisine:
Italian

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti
  • 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chile, thinly sliced, seeds discarded
  • 1 link of Spanish cured chorizo, sliced into thin coins
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves coarsely torn (about 5 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped mint
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Finely grated Pecorino or Asiago or Parmesan (for serving)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium. Cook garlic, swirling in the pan often, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer garlic to a small bowl with a slotted spoon.
  2. Add panko to the same skillet and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with garlic.
  3. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
  4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook anchovies, mashing with a wooden spoon, until only a few flecks remain, about 4 minutes. Add chorizo, shallots, chile, and Swiss chard and cook until the chard is slightly wilted, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add butter, pasta, and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid to Swiss chard mixture and cook, tossing often with tongs and adding more pasta cooking liquid if the sauce looks thick.

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