Almost Guilt-Free Carbs: Whole Wheat Pasta sans Sauce

At Yoga yesterday we met the sister of the owner of iL Leone, a restaurant that I truly love. Their food is always light and elegant and those wooden floors and beautiful wine just make my day. It's also great that they're my neighbour, so a few extra glasses of vino are never an issue.  

Anyway, The Monsieur's favourite dish at il Leone is their Prawn Linguine. We tried it at the Taste of Cape Town Festival two years ago and he's eaten it a good few times since. It really is good. Which got me thinking about pasta without sauce. 

Now, I love sauce as much as the next person and on special days, sometimes even more. I like my Arrabiata with a splash of cream and the thought of a rich, dark fungi makes my toes furl. But with Summer on the horizon, I have to admit that I am beginning to watch what I eat. Clifton 2 can be an intimidating place for a foodie. 

So my take on the Prawn Linguine of il Leone fame, is made with whole wheat pasta, barely wilted Swiss Chard, mini Rosa Tomatoes and flakes of fresh parmiggiano, which in combination, give me a sense of pride and balance. 

This recipe is a bit haphazard, so bare with me. Use as much or as little as you choose. As I've said before, we love the exactlessness of cooking. 

To your cleaned prawns (I used shelled and cooked Prawns from Woolies) add pestle-and-mortar crushed garlic, chilli and dhania (coriander). Allow to marinate for about half an hour. 

To boiling, salted water, add your linguine, which should take about 8 minutes. Whilst the pasta is being cooked, add the same garlic, chilli and dhania paste to some hot olive oil and allow to fry off. Add the Rosa tomatoes, and swiss chard, followed by the prawns and then the pasta. When the prawns have warmed through and the chard is wilted, sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately, as if you'd have it any other way.