Pappardelle with Chorizo and Swiss Chard

I don't even remember when my love affair with pasta started. Growing up in a country where rice is the staple food, my mother used to complain that I cooked pasta way too often. Like every weekend! She did keep buying those Better House and Gardens magazines that kept me inspired to try new pasta recipes, though.

Today, I was in a hurry to get dinner on the table because I wanted to do a full hour of yoga. This dish took around 20 minutes to make, including preparing and cutting all the ingredients. A vitamin-packed, crowd pleaser that's perfect for those long summer nights.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil or porcini-infused olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
150 g chorizo (I used chorizo velita), thinly sliced
175 g feta cheese, sliced into small pieces
a handful of basil leaves, sliced into thin strips
a bunch of baby Swiss chard leaves, coarsely chopped
500 g fresh parpadelle pasta
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain, leaving a little water, and keep warm.

2. While the pasta is cooking , heat the olive oil in a heavy based, large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry for one minute per side.

3. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry until brown, then add the basil and Swiss chard leaves.

4. Stir in the pasta and the reserved cooking liquid. Add feta cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to coat the pasta with the oil and distribute the other ingredients evenly. 

5. Garnish with whole basil leaves and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Spinach may be used in place of Swiss Chard.
• Chorizo velita is a dry-cured Iberian sausage seasoned with salt and red natural pepper. If you can't find these, any Spanish chorizo will do.