Noodles with spinach. Tagliatelle with spinaci

This is a recipe for pasta with spinach  that has a very simple preparation, with a combination of flavors that will immediately transport you to a trattoria . The smooth taste of butter, accentuated by the combination of melted cheese and cream, is perfectly reminiscent of the dishes prepared at Bella Italia . As in any Italian recipe the main element is pasta, noodles in this case. Pasta  is a fundamental pillar of the Mediterranean diet and must be included in our weekly menu, it mainly provides carbohydrates, around 70%, 13% protein, 1.5% fats and minerals.

Vegetables play a very important role in Italian cuisine and especially in the Tuscany area . Tuscan cuisine has a predilection for everything that gives off an aroma and is presented on the table crisp and fresh. It is not surprising, therefore, that in Tuscany not only aromatic plants, but also vegetables of all kinds, including spinach, are very popular. Florentines are also a fan of vegetables. They fill their crepes with chard or spinach, which they accompany with ricotta or parmesan, and they also prepare their tripe with vegetables in the famous trippa alla fiorentina .

To complement this dish it is combined with spinach, with this we will get an important vitamin contribution and we will give color to the dish. I recommend that you do it with fresh spinach , the flavor will be more intense. There are numerous varieties of spinach: Monstruosa, Matador, Vital, King of Denmark, Viking, Estivato, Angleterre, Viroflay, Bloomsdale, Gigante, Holanda…, their nutritional characteristics are usually quite similar, and also their contraindications, since their acid content uric is really high. To make the most of its vitamins A and E, iodine and also various antioxidants and minerals (it contains 4 times more iron than other vegetables), they should be eaten raw as much as possible, in salads, for example. The truth is that they are delicious, and let’s say nothing if they are the ones that my father grows in his garden , delicious.

I leave you with this classic of Italian cuisine, Tagliatelle with spinaci , with a cheese and cream sauce, a colorful dish that is a true gift for the senses, delicious and aromatic at the same time. I hope you like it, cheer up with this Italian recipe.

Preparation of the spinach sauce

1. If we use the fresh vegetable we wash it very well, it is necessary that we clean it of pesticides and especially of fertilizers, since this plant has a high content of nitrites. If they are from the garden and we have not put any chemical products, with a little water under the tap is more than enough.
2. Once washed, we remove the stems that protrude from the leaf, folding it in the middle (longitudinally, as in a book), and cut them. We put plenty of water to boil in a saucepan with a good handful of salt. When the water is very hot, we cook for 2 or 3 minutes, it is enough. Once cooked, drain them and cut half the butter in a frying pan. Once melted, add the finely chopped onion and cook over low heat. It is not necessary to brown too much, it will be enough that it is tender.
3. Add the spinach to the pan and sauté for a few more minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and add half the grated Parmesan. We remove everything until the cheese melts and all the ingredients are well mixed. We reserve to combine with the pasta.
4. Although the sauce we have prepared with fresh spinach can also be prepared with frozen spinach, they are tasty and keep all the vitamins, but at this time I recommend that you prepare the recipe with fresh and garden spinach, you will notice the difference.

Preparation of the noodles

1. I present you some easy steps so that the pasta is perfect for you. It is not that it is especially difficult but everything has its little tricks, “simple … ma non troppo” that the Italians would say (easy, but not entirely).
2. Once we have the sauce ready, we start with the pasta, the sauce should always wait for the noodles and not the other way around.
3. We heat in a saucepan a liter of water for every 100 g of pasta, it is the recommended measure per person. These proportions, which are normally indicated on the packaging, help the paste not stick together. We will always try to use a large casserole, the largest in your kitchen.
4. When it begins to boil in spurts we add 1 tablespoon of salt. Then we add the pasta, always all together. We stir with a wooden spoon so that the noodles do not stick and are loose.
5. In the package of pasta comes the cooking time, we must be guided by these instructions because for each type it is different, in this case it is 8 minutes. In this way we will achieve what is called pasta “al dente” or at its right point, that is, it does not pass. Once the time has elapsed, drain the pasta immediately. In the same pot we melt the remaining butter and mix it with the pasta.

Presentation of our spinach noodles

1. We have alternate layers of noodles and sauce in a baking dish, sprinkling a little of the remaining cheese on each layer. D ejaremos the layer of either surface of the sauce. P or last we pour a little cream with the help of a spoon so that it is distributed throughout the plate. Above we sprinkle the last cheese that remains.
2. We put in the oven and gratin for 10 minutes at a temperature of 200º C. The gratin time may vary depending on the oven, but the dish will be ready when the cheese on the surface layer is melted and with a slightly golden color.

We already have a new dish of chubby ready. I recommend you accompany this pasta with delicious classic grissini, a type of typically Italian bread with an elongated shape and very crisp, dipped in extra virgin olive oil.