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Bummer. I hate when that happens. My first instinct was to smother it in cheese and turn it into some sort of gratiné under the broiler.

Whole wheat gets bitter when it spoils (the oils become rancid), so I would be suspicious that the pasta itself is bad, or was made from spoiled wheat. Not all dishes are salvageable. I'd toss this one, along with any remaining uncooked pasta from that package.

Whole wheat pasta is a little more rustic in texture than white pasta, but it should not be bitter. I find that it tastes sweeter (and nuttier) than white pasta.

I would add some butter to a skillet and cook til slightly golden, then add a small can of drained diced tomatoes. Chard is bitter so I would add a little sugar (start out with 1/2 teaspoon) to take the edge off.

This is why I don't like whole wheat pasta.

My only thought is a frittata, but that might be a waste of eggs.

Not sure about fixing this one--I tend to think leftover pasta is only so-so anyway.

You may want to try another brand of whole wheat pasta. I find that some have a chalky texture, while others are much better. So try a few varieties before giving up on the idea. (Maybe the kitchn should do a taste test??)

In general, I find that whole wheat pasta pairs well with nuts and with deeply caramelized flavors--like roasted cauliflower or caramelized onions or oven dried tomatoes. I also think it does well with creamy cheeses like a soft goat cheese or fresh ricotta. If you're going to add greens, go for a slightly sweeter one, like spinach, or try roasted kale, which is softer and sweeter and deeper than it's simple sauteed brethren. Or just add mounds of fresh basil.

I've cooked, oh maybe three times, a dish without realizing that an ingredient had gone a little funky. That first bite was a nasty surprise. My first suspicion here was that something was starting to turn and you didn't notice it in the hustle and bustle of the rest of the prep.

I'm with ShellyIN. Whole wheat pasta tastes a feels a little different, but it should not taste bitter.

You know, I really really hate waste, esp. with food. I do my best to avoid it. But life is too short to eat something that just tastes icky.

fed it to dog or wrap it up in a disposable container and give it to a homeless person on the street.

I'll second the recommendation of adding some tomato to the dish - either stir in some good-quality paste when you reheat the pasta and let it sort of caramelize, or add chunks of fresh or canned tomato.

Also, if you can find farro pasta, I'd highly recommend you try it. I've always found the taste and texture of whole wheat pasta to be challenging (and my husband won't even consider it), but we love pastas made from farro. Rustichella d'Abruzzo makes a variety of shapes.

I really like whole wheat pasta, especially paired w/strong flavors like chard or broccoli rabe, but I'm afraid ShellyIN might be right: you might have a bad batch.

If you don't think your pasta is bad, I'd mix in a good dollop of ricotta cheese to smooth out the edges.

The only whole wheat pasta we like is Gia Russa. It must be good because I don't get the normal "ewwww, whole wheat paaasta..." thing from the family.

I agree that some things are just not worth trying to fix and that something was probably bad or going off because scanning the ingredients doesn't seem to equal inedible.

I have to say that I am appalled that someone would suggest giving this to a dog OR a homeless person if it is unsuitable for you to eat.

I also agree with everyone who said that you whole wheat pasta should not be bitter.

Next time try Barilla complete. It's a blend of different flours (including chickpea for protein) and is much less sturdy than whole wheat. It's my favorite.

whenever i cook whole wheat pasta i put A LOT of salt in the water. at least double what i would usually use, sometimes triple. It helps with the taste. if you really suspect it's the pasta, switch to a whole wheat blend. all the major brands make them, and you might find one you might like.

Kate B.,
Agreed. And, depending on how many onions were used, it could sicken or even kill a dog. Hemolytic anemia is bad, bad news. An odd piece of onion is unlikely to cause harm, but I wouldn't make a habit of giving my dog anything that contained onion. That goes for all forms: raw, cooked, dried, whatever.

try adding a little feta cheese and see if it tastes better?

Sounds like you were working on a nice rendition of a carbonara-like recipe! But I don't know about salvaging bitter pasta. Leftover pasta I find is usually best cold or in a Deborah Madison style noodle cake with egg.

I have consistently had trouble with whole wheat pasta being gluey or chalky. I would second caitlin's suggestion of Barilla complete--It has a much firmer al dente bite and neutral flavor than lots of whole wheat pastas.

I also agree with Mary that the only time I've really liked whole wheat pasta dishes is with creamer, heartier flavors--like caramelized onion, goat cheese, hazelnuts, winter greens, etc.

I use almost only whole wheat pasta these days. At first I found it was pasty because I was cooking it to the texture that I expect white pasta to be, but I realized finally that whole wheat will be chewier and nuttier than white pasta and if you cook it until it has the mouth feel of white pasta you will have cooked the flavor out. my suggestion for the future would be to try leaving it a little more al dente then feels normal to you and see how it goes.

I would probably just chuck it but if you are dead set on saving it, make it into a baked pasta dish. You could add some drained cottage cheese or ricotta or goat cheese and cover it in a tomato sauce and top it with shredded cheese and bake.

I've made versions of that dish a lot - almost exclusively with whole wheat pasta. I don't know how you can save it now, but in the future, I'd recommend cooking the pasta slightly differently. I started cooking pasta with much less water after reading Harold McGee's article where he experimented with it: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/dining/25curi.html
I like what the pasta cooked this way adds to the dish because you end up with a little bit of very rich pasta water left that pulls the whole dish together - I add the cooked pasta and whatever's left of its water to the onion/meat/veg, grate or throw in the cheese and leave it over the heat a bit longer to meld. It always tastes fantastic. You should make sure you salt the boiling pasta very well, and also that you actually like the taste of it outside of this dish. Some of the whole wheat pastas are terrible.

THROW IT AWAY!
You are people not garbage disposals.

Make a new batch of pasta. Be glad you didn't put truffels on it or something.

I don't know that this will help salvage your current bad whole wheat pasta problem, but could help future batches. There have been several whole wheat pasta brands I have tried and found to be bitter or dull or off in some way so when I try a new type I taste one a couple minutes before it is done and if I don't like it I add vinegar to the cooking water. Usually this corrects the bitter flavor, and doesn't taste acidic as if dressed in vinegar.

If in doubt, add tomato. (fresh, canned, or sundried)

A little extra olive oil and cheese never hurts either.

Too much going on in this dish. I think the egg and lemon juice were overkill. If you're determined to eat it again, make bechamel and turn it into a gratin (but the weather's a bit warm for that, I think). Add a lot of black pepper to the bechamel, and some bits of ham.

And also sometimes, chard tastes chalky and a bit like dirt.

Blended pastas aren't so fragile, but true whole wheat pastas are like whole wheat flour: they go rancid. Check the dates on the packages carefully, because whole wheat pasta is still a small enough market that packages could sit on the shelf (or in hot areas) for too long.

If you're going to hold onto uncooked whole wheat pasta for a while, do what you'd do with whole wheat flour: store it in the freezer.

Another thing - don't overcook your chard and don't mince it. Larger pieces are better, and if you don't overcook, they only wilt very slightly.