Pasta Verde con Spinaci – Spinach Fettuccine with Spinach, Butter and Parmesan Recipe
SPINACH FETTUCCINE WITH SPINACH, BUTTER, AND PARMESAN
On several occasions, I’ve had the pleasure of writing about Paul Bertolli, the talented chef and partner at Oliveto restaurant in Oakland, California. Once, for a newspaper story, we went to the farmers’ market together, and he shopped for an improvisational meal. Fresh spinach pasta tossed with spinach was one of his impromptu inventions, a dish I loved for its simplicity and pure taste. I have reproduced a variation here.
Serves 4 to 6
Fresh Spinach Pasta, cut as fettuccine
1½ to 2 pounds fresh spinach (not baby spinach), thick stems removed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, in 10 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
²/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and boil until it is about 1 minute shy of al dente. Add the spinach leaves and stir them down into the pot to wilt. When the spinach is completely wilted, set aside 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and spinach and return them to the warm pot. Add the butter and salt and pepper to taste, then toss well. Add ½ cup of the cheese and toss again, moistening with some of the reserved pasta water as needed.
Divide among warm bowls, topping each portion with some of the remaining cheese. Serve immediately.
Recipe from the “Four Seasons Pasta: A Year of Inspired Recipes in the Italian Tradition” cookbook.