Spaghetti with Pine Nuts and Swiss Chard

I have said it before and I will say it again, Josh McFadden's cookbook Six Seasons still stands out as the single best cookbook I have cooked from, and this recipe is one of my favorites--there is still some swiss chard surviving outside and so this is a summer and fall dish in my neck of the woods. You can sub out the pine nuts for something less pricey, but they really shine here. ½ cup raisins red wine vinegar kosher salt freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces spaghetti or tagliatelle, or angel hair extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced) ½ cup pinenuts ½ teaspoon dried chile flakes 1 bunch Swiss chard (dried ends trimmed, stems thinly sliced, leaves torn into strips) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter parmigiano reggiano cheese (for grating) METHOD Spaghetti with Swiss Chard, Pine Nuts, Raisins, and Chiles is a guest recipe by Joshua McFadden so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe Combine the raisins, a splash of vinegar, and warm water just to cover in a bowl and plump for 20 minutes. Drain. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt until it tastes like the sea. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions. Start tasting a minute or so ahead of time so you don't overcook it. With a ladle or a measuring cup, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta well. Meanwhile, pour a healthy glug of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and pine nuts and let them toast very slowly until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chile flakes and cook for another 10 seconds so they can bloom, then add the drained raisins. Increase the heat to medium, add the chard stems, season with a bit of salt and black pepper, and cook slowly until the stems are slightly tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the torn chard leaves and a splash of water (use the pasta water, if the timing works), cover the pan, and cook until the leaves are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the drained pasta and the butter to the chard and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, black pepper, or chile flakes. Grate a bit of Parmigiano over everything, drizzle with more olive oil, and pile into bowls. Serve with more grated cheese.