Penne with Wilted Greens, Feta and Walnuts

DESCRIPTION

Simple weeknight supper recipe with penne, crunchy walnuts and wilted winter greens.

Total Time
45 Mins
Serves
4
Meal
Dinner

Total Time

Prep Time
20 Mins
Cook Time
25 Mins
Total Time
45 Mins

Nutrition

Calories
565 cal
Total Fat
32 g
Polyunsaturated Fat
16 g
Cholesterol
17 mg
Sodium
536 mg
Carbohydrates
52 g
Dietary Fiber
15 g
Protein
19 g

Ingredients

  • 1 cup California walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onions, medium, chopped
  • 3 bunches greens (such as kale, collards, mustard or chard), fresh, large, stemmed if necessary, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (possibly more, to taste)
  • 1/2 pound penne, whole-wheat
  • 1 cup feta cheese (possibly more, to taste), crumbled
  • Black pepper, freshly ground

Preparation

  1. Spread the walnuts on the tray of a toaster oven (I like to line mine with foil first) and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes (possibly longer, if you watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn). When they (and your entire kitchen) smell heavenly and deeply roasted, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle comfortably, chop them into smaller pieces. (Exact size and shape are up to you).
  2. Place a large (10- to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat and wait for about a minute. Pour in the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion, turn the heat up, and sauté over high heat for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring often for another 5 minutes, or until translucent and soft.
  3. Add the greens in batches, sprinkling very lightly with some of the salt after each addition. As they cook, turn the leaves with tongs, bringing up the wilted ones from the bottom to the top of the pile.
  4. Meanwhile, put up a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat. Place a large colander in the sink. When the water boils, add the penne, keeping the heat high. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, checking it toward the end of the suggested time, to be sure it is not getting overcooked.
  5. When the penne is just tender enough to bite into comfortably, but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander. Shake to mostly drain (it’s okay to leave some water clinging) then transfer it to the skillet of cooked greens. Use tongs to toss until everything is reasonably distributed, adding in the crumbled feta as you toss. Taste to adjust salt, if necessary, and serve hot, topped with walnuts. Pass a pepper mill for individual seasoning.