CREAMY PASTA WITH GREENS

Cold weather greens, turnip greens, collards, and mustard greens, are showing up in the market stands down our way.  Cleaned and chopped and seasoned and cooked a good long while is the local prep style.  These same greens find their way into Italian kitchens and get served up, chopped and seasoned, and combined with pasta and cheese.  Either way, the greens are great tasting and good for you too.

• About a pound of fresh or frozen greens, cleaned and chopped
• 6 slices of bacon, chopped—cooked and crumbled
• 1 onion, diced
• Garlic to taste, minced
• 1 small jar roasted red peppers, chopped
• 1 ½ to 2 cups cream
• 5 oz Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
• 12 oz pasta like linguine or spaghetti, cooked
• Salt, pepper and dried red pepper to taste

Cook greens in salted water to desired doneness—drain and set aside.  Cook pasta to desired doneness and keep warm.  Cook bacon in large pot until crisp—remove and leave 2 tblsp drippings in pot.  Sauté garlic and onions in drippings until soft—then add greens, roasted peppers, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook about 5 minutes, until heated through.  Heat cream in a separate pot until hot but not boiling —remove from heat and stir in all but 2 tblsp grated Parmesan cheese.  Toss together the pasta, cream sauce, most of the greens mixture and most of the crumbled bacon.  Move to warm serving bowl and top with remaining greens mixture, bacon and grated cheese.

The Kitchen Hive