Swiss chard tart

I was talking to my mom last night and she mentioned that she needed a way to use up some swiss chard--her garden was overrun with it. I go through a bunch of winter greens (chard, kale, collards, and the like) nearly every week, and there are a ton of ways to utilize them. They're full of vitamins, very versatile, and keep for a long time in the fridge. You can add them to soups, to risottos, to pasta dishes, or simply saute them with a little garlic. This is another one of my favorite ways to use chard.

1 lb Swiss chard, stems removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
1 15 oz container ricotta
½ cup parmesan
2 eggs
½ teaspoon each salt, pepper, thyme, oregano
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 sheet puff pastry

Cook chard in large pot of boiling water until just wilted, about two minutes. Drain and squeeze out liquid. Chop. Sauté garlic in oil for  one minute and add chard. Sauté until excess liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl, and let cool slightly. Add the rest except puff pastry and mix. Place the sheet of (slightly thawed) puff pastry on the bottom of a pie pan, and trim edges to 1-inch overhang. Fill with chard mixture, fold overhang back over the sides of the pie. Bake at 375 45 minutes, then let cool for 10 minutes.

You can also make this with a second sheet of puff pastry on top, like a pie.

Cost: chard runs about $2 a bunch this time of year (unless you're my mom, and have it in the garden in spades). A container of ricotta will run about $4, and one box of puff pastry (with two sheets) is $4.99, of which you'll need one sheet. $8.50 for the base ingredients, another 75 cents for the eggs, parmesan and spices. $9.25 total for a nice side dish for four, or a main course for two.