Pappardelle With Swiss Chard, Onions & Goat Cheese

12oz pappardelle or fettuccine
2 Tbs olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 bunches Swiss chard, stems discarded and leaves cut into 1-inch strips
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled

1) Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2) Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chard and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper, and cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes more.
3) Add the chard mixture, 3 oz of the goat cheese, 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, and 1/2 tsp salt to the pasta and toss until the goat cheese melts and coats the pasta (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve sprinkled with the remaining ounce of goat cheese.

Review: I used 2 bunches of rainbow chard, so it was really colorful and pretty. Mike decided to try more whole grain pasta, believing it to be a healthier pasta. However, I'm not a big fan of the whole grain texture, nor flavor. It's a little sweeter than I'm used to, and I don't like excessive chewing. Between the whole grains and the greens, this was a lot of chewing. I grew tired of the dish before I grew full. This was also a little bland. I'd definitely suggest using as small an amount of pasta water as possible, to preserve the goat cheese flavor. And don't skimp on the salt!

Adapted from:

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pappardelle-with-swiss-chard