Linguine with Spinach and Mascarpone Cream
Mascarpone cheese is a wonderful ingredient for making a smooth and creamy sauce for pasta because it coats the noodles so nicely. We've combined it with some milk to cut the richness a bit and added a small amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano for extra flavor. Be sure to include the nutmeg. You only need a little, but it adds a subtle, delicious touch. Serve with a salad for a complete meatless meal.
- Ingredients:
- 12 ounces linguine
- 2/3 cup mascarpone
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup onion, very finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
- 10 ounces fresh spinach
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the linguine.
Whisk the mascarpone and milk together in a small bowl.
Start the pasta cooking and heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until pale golden in color, 2 minutes.
Add the spinach and toss with tongs until completely wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mascarpone-milk mixture, combine well and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to bubbling and cook just it until starts to thicken, 2 minutes.
Drain the pasta and add it to the spinach mixture along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Toss to combine well and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Plate individual servings and top with additional nutmeg if desired.
Makes 4 servings
Recipe Notes:
We chose linguine for this dish because we like the way the mascarpone sauce coats the long strands, but penne and rotini would be good choices as well.
This is an original recipe created & tested by the editors of MyGourmetConnection
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