creamy silverbeet pasta

the “that doesn’t go in pasta” pasta

ingredients

500g short pasta

1 large bunch silverbeet (roughly chopped, white stems cut out to avoid too much bitterness)

1 cup ricotta

½ cup finely grated parmesan and extra to top

Glug olive oil

1 small garlic clove

Zest and juice  ½ lemon

Salt and black pepper

Knob of butter

method

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. While it heats, roughly chop the silverbeet leaves, removing the thick white stems so the sauce stays sweet and green rather than bitter.

2. Once the water is boiling, drop the silverbeet into the pot for about a minute. Lift it out with tongs and set aside.

3. In the same pot, add the pasta and cook until al dente.

4. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Add the blanched silverbeet to a blender along with the ricotta, parmesan, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth and bright green.

5. When the pasta is ready, drain it, reserving a little of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot and add butter, letting it melt through the heat of the pasta.

6. Pour in the silverbeet sauce and toss everything together, adding a little pasta water if needed until the sauce loosens and turns glossy.

7. Serve immediately with extra parmesan and plenty of black pepper.

Serves 4 recommended serving people (or 2 hungry people)