PASTA WITH A ANCHOVY, SPINACH AND PINE NUT SAUCE

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Pasta With a Anchovy, Spinach and Pine Nut Sauce image

This recipe actually originated from a collaboration between my girlfriend (who lives in Italy) and myself one night. She was visiting, and after spending the day at the beach we were starving. Well, other than a few pantry items, a couple of slices of a baguette, 1 fresh tomato and not much else this was the end result. We came up with this amazing angel hair pasta, frozen spinach, pine nuts (yes, I always have them in the freezer), of course some parmesan, and lastly anchovies (yes, I keep those too, I add them to many sauces). Well we made this pasta which was great, grilled the baguette and broiled the tomato slices with nothing more than a little balsamic, olive oil, s/p and fresh basil. Dinner was amazing and so was this pasta. Now this is a light pasta dish, but has so much flavor. I actually like to serve this as a side dish sometimes if you don't want to serve it as a main dish. It is great as a side with grilled fish like, Halibut, Cod, Tilapia or even grilled scallops. I like use a lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper marinade for the seafood to keep it simple which goes well with the pasta. Give it a try, I know you will really enjoy it. I never really liked anchovies until I tried them toasted or sauteed - they get nutty and sweet. This is literally a 20 minute great dish and serves 4 for a pretty good price. As I said, some fresh tomatoes, grilled bread and dinner in a hurry for family or friends.

Provided by SarasotaCook

Categories     < 30 Mins

Time 20m

Yield 4 Plate Servings, 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 (10 ounce) boxes frozen leaf spinach (thawed and squeezed)
1 (1 lb) box angel hair pasta (you could also use thin spaghetti is you want)
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 large shallot, thin sliced
8 anchovy fillets, chopped (canned)
5 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (3 crushed, 2 whole)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter (no margarine)
grated parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Spinach -- Just thaw and squeeze dry and set to the side. It will take only a couple of minutes to heat up in the sauce.
  • Pasta -- Again, takes just minutes for Angel Hair pasta to cook so make sure you sauce is done or at least started. This dish only takes minutes.
  • For the pasta cook according to directions - a large pot of salted water. when done, drain and set to the side to keep warm.
  • Sauce -- In a large saute pan, add the oil and and bring to a medium high heat. Add the pine nuts and toast until golden brown. They will only take a minute and stir often. Remove to a paper towel to let them drain. Then add the garlic and shallot and cook two minutes until they start to get golden brown, add the anchovies and cook another minute. Add the spinach breaking it up as you add it to the pan along with the butter and cook 2-3 minutes.
  • Pine Nuts -- I take about 1/2 or a little less and break them up a bit. You can just use the back of a fork or you can put them in a baggie and just hit them with the bottom of a pan or bowl to slightly crush them. You just want to break them up a bit.
  • Finishing -- Pasta should be done and drained. Simply add the pasta to the sauce pan along with the pine nuts, lemon juice and zest and toss well.
  • Garnish with fresh grated parmesan. Literally a 20 minute dish and absolutely delish! And if you think you didn't like anchovies, you will.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 753.6, Fat 32.7, SaturatedFat 8.4, Cholesterol 29.7, Sodium 483, Carbohydrate 94, Fiber 8.2, Sugar 4.4, Protein 24.1

John Ng'omba
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This pasta dish is a must-try for any seafood lover. The anchovies add a delicious briny flavor to the sauce.


Myakala Limbadri
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This was a great way to use up some leftover spinach. I also added a few chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce for extra flavor.


Dxily Panda
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I love the combination of anchovies and spinach in this dish. It's so unique and flavorful.


Evnat Km
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This is a great recipe for a weeknight meal. It's quick and easy to make, and it's always a hit with my family.


Evalyne Mulinde
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I can't wait to try this recipe. It looks so delicious.


SHOVOSJDJD
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This is now one of my favorite pasta dishes. It's so simple, but the flavors are amazing.


Lynn Underwood
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I added a little bit of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a bit of spice. It really took the dish to the next level.


Emillio Aranda
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This was a quick and easy weeknight meal. The sauce came together in just a few minutes and the pasta cooked while the sauce simmered.


Reaquila Scriven
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I'm not a huge fan of anchovies, but they were surprisingly good in this dish. The sauce was creamy and flavorful, and the pine nuts added a nice crunch.


Tiktok Team
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This pasta dish was a hit with my family! The combination of anchovies, spinach, and pine nuts created a flavorful and unique sauce. The recipe was easy to follow and the end result was delicious.