Pasta with Greens Recipe (Low Fat)

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INGREDIENTS

• 500 g (1 lb) pappardelle or wide fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon olive or basil oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 85 g (2 3/4 oz) baby English spinach leaves
• 85 g (2 3/4 oz) baby beet (beetroot) tops
• 85 g (2 3/4 oz) rocket (arugula)
• 185 g (6 oz) firm goats’ cheese, crumbled
• Cracked black pepper baby capers

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Place pasta in a saucepan of rapidly boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and keep pasta warm.

2 Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. Remove oil from heat. Place greens in a bowl and toss hot oil through greens.

3 Place pasta in serving bowls and top with greens, goats’ cheese, pepper and capers.

NUTRITION FACTS

Calories: 200 Kcal
Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 45 mg
Potassium: 280 mg
Carbs: 40 g
Protein: 9 g

VARIATION 1

Pasta with broccoli

Use a head of broccoli, cut into small florets, instead of the greens, and give it a good 5 minutes’ cooking with the pasta – it should be well done so that it starts to break down and cling to the pasta. Omit the onion, and just warm the oil with the chilli and garlic for a few minutes.

VARIATION 2

Orecchiette with chickpeas and cavolo nero

Adding chickpeas makes this a more substantial main course dish. Use 250 g orecchiette, penne or farfalle pasta (little ‘ear’ shaped orecchiette are great with chickpeas, which get stuck in the ‘earholes’). You can use any greens, but it’s particularly good with cavolo nero or curly kale, tough ribs removed, leaves roughly shredded. Gently fry the onion, chilli and garlic, as above, then add a drained, rinsed 400 g tin of chickpeas with a pinch of ground cumin, and heat through thoroughly before tossing together with the pasta and greens. Serve trickled with extra virgin oil, but omit the cheese.