Chard and Ricotta Pasta

Method:

1.    Pull the chard leaves away from the stalks. Warm a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Finely shred the chard stalks and add them to the pan with the garlic and a pinch of salt. Allow the stalks to cook like this for a couple of minutes, then grate in the zest of the lemon. Cook for a further 3 minutes, until the stalks have lost their rawness and toughness.
2.    Put a large pan of salted water on to boil and when it’s at a rolling boil, add the spaghetti and cook according to the packet instructions.
3.    Back to the chard. Finely shred the leaves and add them to the pan of stalks. Spoon in a dash of pasta water (no more than about 3 tablespoons) to help the leaves steam and wilt as they cook.
4.    Mix the ricotta with the juice of half the lemon, and season well with salt and pepper.