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This came from On Top of Spaghetti, a fine cookbook.
Spaghetti with Fresh Spinach and Gorgonzola
In early spring, look for tender spinach with small leaves at the local
farmers' market. it is so flavorful that it needs nothing more than a
bit of Gorgonzola and butter to make a memorable dish.
- 4 Oz. Gorgonzola, at room temperature
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 C. firmly packed trimmed young, fresh spinach
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 lb. dried spaghetti or spaghettini
- 10-12 large fresh basil leaves (optional)
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
- In a small bowl, mush together the Gorgonzola and
butter until you have a smooth paste. Set aside but
do not refrigerate.
- Wash the spinach in plenty of cold water. Drain in a
a colander, leaving the water clinging to the leaves.
- Heat the olive oil in a large straight-sided skillet
over moderately high heat. Add the spinach and 1 tsp.
of the salt.
Toss the spinach with tongs until it has wilted. Taste
it and add more salt if necessary. Turn off the heat
but keep the spanach warm on the side of the stove.
- Generously salt the pasta water and drop in the spagheti.
Cook at a rolling boil, stirring often until al dente.
Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.
Transfer the spaghetti to the skillet and toss with the
spinach. Add the Gorgonzola-butter mixture and toss to
coat each strand of spaghetti. If the pasta seems dry,
add a bit of cooking water and toss again. Add as much
of the cooking water as you need to make a creamy consistency.
If you have fresh basil, tear the leaves and toss into the
spaghetti.