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1
preheat oven to 350; bring large pot of salted water to a boil; add penne rigate, and cook until just beginning to soften, but not yet al dente (approximately 3 minutes, or half the suggested cooking time); transfer to colander, rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside
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2
combine beets and ricotta in a small bowl; salt and pepper to taste, and set aside
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3
heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauce pan; add shallots and cook until tender (do not let shallots brown); add garlic and stir for about 1 minute, until very fragrant; add Swiss chard and cook until just tender; strain in a sieve, and set aside
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4
to make the bechamel, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium low heat; whisk in flour to form a roux of medium consistency; whisk in the milk, about 1/2 cup at a time; allow sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes, until it thickens up a bit, but is still pourable; remove from heat, and add nutmeg, parmesan, walnuts, salt and pepper
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5
transfer the penne rigate to a large bowl; squeeze excess water from the chard, and mix into the pasta; stir in bechamel sauce; transfer to a baking dish brushed in olive oil; nestle in dollops of the beet ricotta mixture (keeping in mind how you intend to cut/serve the pasta); top with trugole; and bake 10 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown
