Here’s a typically simple, rustic pasta from Umbria, which would be made with seasonal local leafy greens, both cultivated and foraged wild varieties. Although we don’t have many of the same choices as in Italy, there are plenty of suitable leafy greens available in our American markets now. Certainly chard, spinach, and common chicory are delicious in this dish, and young beet, collard, dandelion, mustard, or turnip greens would be good, too. Many dried pastas are delicious with this dressing of greens, and I particularly like dried egg fettuccine (with its extra richness and color); gemelli and orecchiette are also good choices. And I love homemade fresh gnocchi with this sauce, too.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 pound tender leafy greens (such as chard, spinach, or young beet greens)

　　6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing the pasta

　　4 plump garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

　　2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for cooking pasta

　　1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste

　　2 tablespoons tomato paste

　　1 pound dry fettuccine (preferably made with egg)

　　1 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for passing

　　

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

A heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger, with a cover; a large pot, 8-quart capacity or larger, with a cover, for cooking the pasta

　　

Step 1

Wash the greens well, and pat them dry on towels. Cut off any tough stems, and coarsely chop the leaves into strips. You should have about 10 cups chopped greens.

　　

Step 2

Pour the olive oil into the skillet, and set over medium-high heat. Scatter in the garlic slices, and cook for a minute or two, until they’re sizzling and starting to color. Dump in all the greens, season with the salt and peperoncino, and toss and turn to coat them in oil. Cover the skillet, and cook until all the greens are wilted, turning and stirring them once or twice, 3 minutes or longer (depending on which greens you’re cooking).

　　

Step 3

Stir the tomato paste into 1 cup hot water until blended, and pour it into the skillet. Bring it to a boil, then cover the pan and adjust the heat to maintain a steady bubbling simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the greens are tender and the sauce has a good consistency for dressing pasta.

　　

Step 4

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt). Drop in the fettuccine, stirring and separating the strands. Cover the pot, return the water to a boil over high heat, then set the cover ajar and cook the pasta until barely al dente.

　　

Step 5

Lift the fettuccine from the water with tongs and a spider, let it drain for a moment, and drop it into the simmering sauce of greens. Toss pasta and sauce together for a minute or two, until the greens are distributed evenly in the fettuccine and the pasta strands are coated with moisture and fully cooked. If the greens are too dry, thin the sauce with as much as a cup of hot pasta water; if too soupy, thicken the sauce quickly over higher heat.

　　

Step 6

Turn off the heat, sprinkle a cup of grated cheese over the pasta, and toss well. Drizzle over it a tablespoon or two of olive oil, toss again, and heap the pasta in warm bowls. Serve immediately, with more cheese at the table.

　　Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2009 Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Lidia Mattichio Bastianich is the author of four previous books, three of them accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia (among others), and she lectures on and demonstrates Italian cooking throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, New York.Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Lidia’s daughter, received her Ph.D. in Renaissance history from Oxford University. Since 1996 she has led food/wine/art tours. She lives with her husband and children on Long Island.