Beet Green & Chickpea Penne + Frittata

Printable Recipe


Prep time & cooking time: 15 minutes (time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta) 
Serves 4+ I always make a whole box worth of pasta and sauce – great for leftovers, perfect for freezing in individual sized portions, & best of all for frittatas (see bottom of post for this version) 


Ingredients: 
1 box (10oz/300g) favorite short pasta (I used multigrain penne this time) 
1-2 tbsp olive oil 
1 large bunch beet greens, preferably with baby beet roots, rinsed well, spun dry and roughly chopped 
1 large onion, coarsely chopped 
2 large cloves garlic, minced 
1 can (19oz/540ml) chickpeas, drained & rinsed 
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled 
Red chili pepper flakes ( 1 pinch to whatever heat you like) 
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar 


Directions 
1. Cook the pasta as per package directions.


 2. Add 1 tbsp olive oil in a hot large skillet and lower the heat to medium. Add onions and sauté until translucent (about 3 minutes) 


 3. Add the chopped beet greens and sauté until wilted (2-3 minutes) then add the chickpeas, feta, balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes. Toss just until heated through.


 4. Drain the pasta (saving ½ cup of pasta water in case your pasta is too dry) and place in a large serving bowl. Add the sauce. Toss and taste adding more balsamic vinegar if needed plus a little more crumbled feta.


 Serve with a simple salad. 


 Second day Frittata 
Served  4 plus two lunches

Oven time: 20 minutes or so
Ingredients:
 I actually had enough leftover pasta to fill a 7 cup plastic container 
8 large eggs, beaten 
½ cup Dragon’s Breath Blue Cheese (more feta or other salty cheese) 
2 tbsp olive oil ½ cup or so 
grated Asiago cheese 
Sprinkling of smoked paprika 


 Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 400°F/ 200°C 


 2. In a medium-sized bowl beat eggs with 1 tbsp olive oil and set aside. 


 3. Warm up the pasta (I just zapped it in the microwave for 2 minutes). The pasta should really just be at room temperature. You don’t want to cook the eggs before they actually make it to the skillet. Add it to the eggs along with crumbled cheese and combine well. 


 4. Heat remaining olive oil in a large oven proof skillet (use a pan with fairly deep sides – the mixture (egg & pasta) should fill the pan and be at least 1- 1 ½ “ deep). Carefully add the frittata mixture and spread it evenly around the pan. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes and begin to set around the edges. 


 5. Sprinkle the top with smoked paprika and bake for 10 minutes or until mostly set, but still a little loose in the center. Sprinkle with grated Asiago or other favorite cheese and continue to cook until completely set. 5-10 minutes longer.