With the days of regular CSA distribution coming to an end, the harvests seem to pick up in volume, especially in the greens department. Luckily, the weather is perfect for using the front porch as a refrigerator while I figure out how to condense the green volume brought home from the farm.  We are still getting a mixture of “bitter” greens, so I quickly wilted some in a large pot of boiling water, removing them to be cooled and then chopped. In the greens cooking water, I boiled beautiful hand-cut wide pasta. When I drained the pasta, I saved a little of the cooking water in case the mixture needed moistening (it did).  I tossed the drained pasta with the greens, and added a couple of spoonsful of ricotta, grated Parmesan cheese, and grated nutmeg. I didn’t think this needed salt or pepper but you should adjust this to your own taste.

I would have added toasted pine nuts but the last time I read the labels at our local markets (including an independent health food store selling mostly organic food, and certainly organic produce, local when possible), the packages all said “Product of China.” What?  I know that pine nuts come from a variety of pines, including Asian pines and European pines, the U.S. Pinyon pines from the southwest, and probably others. I have to do some research before those little nuggets come back into my house. Now I’m looking for sources of local nuts (no pun intended for those who share my life since I know where you are most of the time).

Categories: Greens, PastaTags: Origins of pine nuts, Pasta with greens and ricotta