Pasta with Greens

[b-man]

Pasta with Greens

This vegetarian recipe is a typical sample of the easy, inexpensive cuisine found in Carole Raymond's "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook." Raymond tops spaghetti with fresh kale or spinach, cottage cheese, garlic and walnuts for a pasta dish that can be on the table in about 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ pound (125 g) uncooked spaghetti
1 cup (250 ml) tightly packed kale or spinach
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
½ cup (125 ml) nonfat cottage cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
Salt and pepper


Bring a large covered pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the pasta, stir, and cover the pot until the water returns to a boil. Uncover the pot and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente (begin checking for doneness after about 5 minutes of cooking; pasta is ready when it 's tender, but still offers some resistance when you bite through it).

Wash the kale and remove the tough center stems. Chop the leaves into bite-size pieces. Heat the oil in a medium skillet on medium-high heat; add the kale and sauté, stirring for two minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water, cover, and cook until kale is wilted and still bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cottage cheese and garlic.

When the pasta is al dente, drain it, and serve it tossed with the kale mixture. Sprinkle with walnuts. Salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 1 serving

B-man