Whole Wheat Pasta with Toasted Walnuts, Greens, & Ricotta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and add pasta. Cook until al dente. Save 1 cup of starchy cooking liquid just before you drain the pasta. Return drained pasta to the pot and toss with olive oil until coated. If the pasta seems dry, pour in some of the cooking liquid. You may not need any or all of the pasta cooking liquid.

While pasta is cooking, heat ½ cup olive oil over low heat in a large skillet. Add walnuts and season with salt. Toast for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Keep an eye on them, they can burn quickly, and they will continue to cook slightly once removed from the skillet. Transfer walnuts, along with their oil, to a small bowl and set aside.

Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the now-empty skillet. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broccoli rabe and Swiss chard or kale, in batches, seasoning each batch with salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook until just wilted and bright green. Turn off heat.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and a pinch of salt. Stir in a bit of heavy cream or milk if you’d like something a little less thick. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

To serve, set out the pasta, walnuts, greens, ricotta, and Parmesan. Top each serving of pasta with some of the greens, a spoonful of walnuts and a drizzle of their oil, a dollop of ricotta and as much Parmesan as you’d like.