Gluten Free Spaghetti with Dried Cherries, Chard, and Walnuts
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 pounds chard, stems and thick center ribs discarded, leaves washed, shaken to remove excess water and chopped (about10 cups)
- Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
- 1 pound Gluten Free spaghetti (My favorite brands are Tinkyada Rice Pasta or Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta)
1. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for cooking pasta.
2. Place the walnuts in a large deep saute pan or Dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium and toast, shaking the pan occasionally to turn the nuts, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a small plate.
3. Add the oil and garlic to the empty pan and cook until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. (Do not let the garlic burn.) Add the damp chard, stir to coat the leaves with the oil and garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the chard has wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cherries, remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Toss the pasta, chard, and toasted walnuts together, adding cooking water as needed to moisten the pasta. Serve immediately.
P.S.- This pasta makes a complete protein, which is especially great if you are a vegetarian or vegan.
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