Penne with Swiss chard, tahini, yoghurt and buttered pine nuts

Yotam says, “Chard leaves are some of the most popular greens in Jerusalem. They have a fantastic sharp aroma and tend to hold their texture when cooked. Garlic is essential! Paired with tahini and yoghurt, they make a remarkable dish – sharp and full of flavour…” We have made it into a main course simply by adding some penne pasta – a dried staple found in every kitchen.

Fresh from the garden: Swiss chard (silverbeet), garlic, lemon
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe in the book Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi
Serves: 4 or 24 tastes

• Start with the sauce: Squeeze the lemon to yield 2 tablespoons juice. Place all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and add a pinch of salt. Peel the garlic clove and squeeze through the press and add too; whisk well until you get a smooth, semi-stiff paste. Set aside.
• Bring the 2 large pots of salted water to a boil. Use a sharp knife to separate the chard stalks from the leaves and cut both into 2cm wide slices, keeping them separate. Peel the garlic cloves and slice thinly.
• Add the pasta to one pot of boiling water with a tablespoon of salt and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chard stalks to the other pot of boiling water, simmer for 2 minutes, add leaves and simmer for another minute. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Allow the water to drain and then use your hands to squeeze the chard well until it is completely dry.
• Put half the butter and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the frying pan and place on a medium heart. Once hot, add the pine nuts and toss them in the pan until golden, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan then throw in the garlic. Cook for about a minute until it starts to become golden.
• Carefully pour in the wine, stock or water and leave for about a minute until it reduces to about a third. Add the chard and the rest of the butter and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Drain the pasta and turn back into the hot pot, reserving some cooking water. Add the chard and mix to combine. Divide the into serving bowls, spoon some tahini sauce on top and scatter with the pine nuts. Finally, drizzle with a tiny splash of olive oil and dust with some paprika.