Please forgive the long pause between posts, but I have been having some minor health issues that are now pretty much under control. I'm back in the kitchen and raring to go!
I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday and are preparing for a healthy and prosperous New Year. If you are not planning to go out for a big fancy meal on New Year's Eve, here is something rather easy and elegant, you can make at home. This meal took less than thirty minutes to prepare and can certainly qualify as an easy weeknight meal. I have been watching lots of cooking shows on television and I get lots of inspiration from them. This is a recipe I saw on "Lydia's Kitchen" that I have adapted to make my own. I left some of her ingredients out and added a few of my own.
This recipe calls for pancetta which is a kind of Italian bacon. Most supermarkets carry it, but feel free to substitute bacon. It also calls for pignoli nuts, also called pine nuts. They can be a bit pricey, so feel free to substitute chopped walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts.
1 pound fettuccine
1/2 cup pignoli or other nuts (if substituting other nuts make sure to chop them)
1/2 cup finely chopped pancetta (if using bacon, use about four slices and chop before cooking)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine (you can substitute chicken broth)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg - use fresh and grate yourself if you have it, but don't try to measure, just a several times over the grater will do.
1 pound fresh baby spinach
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
16 ounce container of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Begin by cooking the fettuccine in salted water. You will prepare the sauce in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.
Add about half a tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and turn the heat to medium. Place the pignoli nuts in the pan. Do not leave the pan! These will burn in about 45 seconds. Stir until they begin to turn brown. Remove quickly. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until it is crisp. Now add the olive oil and garlic to the pan. When the garlic begins to soften, add the wine and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat to high for just a minute to let the alcohol cook off. Add the spinach to the pan and lower the heat to medium. Use tongs to continually stir the spinach until it is wilted. Add the nutmeg and pepper and stir. When the spinach is wilted after about five to seven minutes, add the ricotta and stir until it is softened. If the mixture seems thick add about a cup of water from the pasta pot to the pan. When the pasta is cooked, add it to the pan. Stir to thoroughly mix and turn off the heat. Add parmesan and stir. Transfer to a bowl and add pignolis and serve with additional parmesan. Enjoy!
Remember you can leave questions or comments in the comment section below this post. Please feel free to share with friends and family!
I would like to thank you all for your support this past year. Here's hoping that next year will be even better! I hope you all have a very happy and healthy New Year!
Happy Cooking!
Carol
a.k.a Nonnie
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