Penne with Treviso and Goat Cheese
- 1 pound penne pasta
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 1 pound treviso (or radicchio), chopped (about 4Â cups)
- 3 packed cups (5 ounces) baby spinach
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon salt, or more to taste
- 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups (12 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Instructions:
Treviso is a leafy vegetable found all over northern Italy, especially around Venice. It looks like a cross between romaine lettuce and radicchio, whose burgundy color and slightly bitter flavor it shares. I like to wilt treviso and then add it to pasta with some creamy goat cheese to mellow its bitterness.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 1 minute. Remove the garlic and discard.
- Add the treviso, spinach, chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook until the treviso and spinach wilt, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Add the pasta and Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Toss well, thinning out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt, if needed.
- Transfer the penne to serving bowls. Top each portion with the crumbled goat cheese and garnish with basil before serving.