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1
To prepare the chard, strip the leaves off the stems.
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2
Coarsely chop the leaves and dice the stems into 1/2-inch chunks, keeping them separate.
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3
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
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4
Add the orecchiette and cook until just barely al dente (2 to 3 minutes less than the package instructs).
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5
Scoop out and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water.
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6
Drain the pasta well; do not rinse.
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7
Return the empty pot to the burner on medium-high heat.
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8
Once the pot is dry and hot, add the pancetta with 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and most of the fat has rendered out, about 2 minutes.
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9
Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and continue to cook until the onions are softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.
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10
Add the chopped chard stems and continue to cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
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11
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer.
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12
Add the beans and use a potato masher or spoon to gently mash about half of them (to break them down and thicken the sauce).
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13
Add the thyme or sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of the pasta water and stir to combine.
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14
Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
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15
Stir in the chard leaves, cover, and cook until the chard is tender, 2 to 3 more minutes.
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16
Add the drained pasta to the pot and stir to combine.
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17
Cook, stirring constantly, until the pasta is just al dente and the liquid has reduced to a creamy coating of sauce, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
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18
(Add a little more pasta water if it seems too dry.)
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19
Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano.
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20
Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as needed.
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21
Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano.
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22
Just about any type of chard will do, although red chards pigment will bleed into the dish, and it also has a tendency to become bitter.
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23
You can also use kale or spinach instead of chard; kale will take a little longer to cook, spinach a little less.
