Swiss Chard

Savory tarts and quiches are traditional in Alsace cooking. The tart and the<epi:recipelink id="102385">Salade Vigneronne epi:recipelinkcan be enjoyed as separate courses, or together.</epi:recipelink></epi:recipelink>

This recipe is used to prepare Cod Cannelloni with Swiss Chard and Roasted Peppers . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Allow about 5 1/2 hours for the pizza dough to rise. The small quantity of yeast and a long, slow rise give the crust its great flavor and texture.

For ease of preparation, ask for the full round, not the short cut or partial leg, and have the butcher butterfly it for you.

The raita — a type of Indian yogurt sauce — makes a terrific dip for the rolls. A cilantro raita seemed right for this global menu because cilantro is one of the most widely used herbs in the world.

Neapolitan in origin, this make-ahead savory pie is delicious either warm or at room temperature.

(Torta di Bietola ed Erbe) In the more rugged areas of Tuscany, like the Garfagnana and Lunigiana in the northwest, savory tarts are as popular as their sweet counterparts. Vegetable tarts are quite common and usually include greens and herbs. This one features Swiss chard, thyme and oregano. Other herbs used in such tarts are tarragon, sage, nettles and borage.

This southern-style omelet would go nicely with sautéed plum tomatoes and warm corn bread. Dessert can be butter pecan ice cream drizzled with bourbon.

Clearly this is an Italian soup. Biete is Swiss chard, usually green, although I have a fondness for the drama and beefy taste of the red-stemmed kind.

Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Mole Verde While this mole is best eaten soon after it is made, to appreciate the flavor of all the fresh greens, it can be prepared ahead up to the point of blending and adding the greens. Heat varies very much according to taste, so the number of serranos is optional. Typically this mole has a thickish texture and thickens more as it stands so it may require diluting. For all dishes of this kind, the larger and more compact the chicken the better — no fryers please. And adding extra giblets for a stronger broth is not a bad idea. This mole verde is also popularly made with espinazo, the backbone of the pig, which gives it a delicious flavor. I often make the mole with country-style spareribs cut into pieces.

Nudies? In Florentine dialect they’re called gnudi, nudies, poking fun at a dish from the Casentino, a neighboring area that makes their greens and ricotta gnocchi with the same filling Florentines use for ravioli. Nudies because they’re not wearing pasta. Pronounced YNOO-dees. Spinach is used in Florence but wild greens are common in the mountainous Casentino. And ravioli are stuffed with wild greens in many regional recipes. Use wild greens if you can get them, otherwise use chard or spinach, whichever is fresh and tender. Traditionalists may want to search for sheep’s milk ricotta, which yields richer results, but everyone else can get by with whole cow’s milk ricotta. Drain watery ricotta in a metal sieve for 30 minutes if necessary. Cooks in search of a labor-intensive experience can form nudies by hand, one at a time, or use the 2-spoon French quenelle method. I prefer to pipe the mixture from a plastic bag onto a floured countertop, sprinkle the blobs with flour, and lightly roll to form walnut-sized, roughly shaped balls. Serve the nudies with melted butter or tomato or meat sauce, sprinkled with Parmigiano, and baked in the oven to melt the cheese.

Stuffed pastas such as ravioli are simple to make, but it is important to keep the dough soft enough to be worked easily. Always roll out and fill 1 sheet of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.