Greens, Red Pepper, and Gouda Pasta

This is one of my favorites, and one of the first dishes I learned from a cookbook.  It was sort of an awakening moment for me when I was realizing that cookbooks were not only functional but also enjoyable. It was from a high school friend's book and actually the whole book was pretty good. I cannot for the life of me remember the name or author though.  I have tried to find it on amazon in the past, but have been unsuccessful.  At least I remember this recipe.  Special note:  in these pictures I used collard greens, beautiful and tasty as they are I would not use them again.  This dish needs something more delicate, spinach or chard would be perfect.  The collard greens just took over texture-wise.

shredded smoked gouda

greens, red pepper, onions, and garlic

Greens, Red Pepper and Gouda Pasta (serves 3-4)
1 lb spinach or chard
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 lb (1/2 box) pasta (something sturdy such as linguini or rigatoni)
1 1/2 cups shredded smoked gouda
2 Tbsp butter
 oil for sauteing
salt and pepper to taste


Cook pasta according to directions.  Meanwhile saute onion with some salt for a minute to soften.  Add red pepper and garlic and saute a few minutes more.  Add greens and saute until they are wilted.  Add butter and stir, remove from heat.  When the pasta is al dente add to the other ingredients along with the cheese and stir until combined. 

Another special note:  This dish is quite deliciously smokey from the red pepper and smoked gouda. Therefore it is great to eat if you are craving bacon and cannot get it sustainably, are vegetarian, on a diet or whatever.