Ingredients
- 1/2 cup walnut halves
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound fusilli pasta
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/2 pound beet greens, rinsed and coarsely chopped
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
- 1/2 pound soft goat cheese, thickly sliced
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the walnuts for 7 minutes, until lightly browned; let cool slightly. Coarsely chop and transfer to a bowl.
2. Raise the oven temperature to 450° On the rimmed baking sheet, toss the cherry tomatoes with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and Vi teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for about 10 minutes, until browned in spots.
3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fusilli. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 2 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, beet greens and crushed red pepper and cook. crushing the tomatoes slightly, until the greens are just wilted, 3 minutes.
4. Drain the fusilli, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta, the reserved cooking water and the sliced goat cheese to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, tossing to coat the pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to a bowl, garnish with the chopped toasted walnuts, top with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.
WINE Ribolla Gialla, a white wine from Friuli, has a crisp floral character that works well with tangy pasta dishes like this one. Try the vibrant 2007 Dorigo.