Linguine With Parsley Sauce

Parsley is one of my favorite green herbs. My mother used it in almost everything she cooked. She told us "it's good for you and it has a lot of iron".

So I too always use fresh parsley (always listen to your mother :) ). The boys (my grandsons) don't like seeing green specs attached to their food but I keep using it and hope that they will overcome eating with their eyes and start enjoying the flavors. I'm hopeful since their mother and aunt eventually did.

Using fresh herbs can have nutritional benefits. Parsley is an herb with a milder flavor than some other green herbs and has beneficial antioxidant properties.

Now that we have a little bit of parsley facts let's get cooking. This is an easy recipe and in less than 20 minutes (if you use fresh pasta) you have a delicious meal. I made a couple of changes from the original recipe.

Linguine With Parsley Sauce and Tomatoes
(Adapted from a recipe in Lydia Bastianich's cookbook Lydia Cooks from the Heart of Italy)
Ingredients

• 2 cups flat leaf parsley leaves
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I use a pinch; you can adjust to your desired heat level)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 lb. of fresh linguine
• 1 TBLS. butter (I use smart balance)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions:

1. If desired, place the halved tomatoes on a pan, sprinkle with course salt and place under the broiler for about 6-8 minutes, or just until softened, and then remove.
2. Add the parsley and baby spinach leaves, garlic, pepper flakes and salt in bowl of food processor and pulse several times to coarsely chop the parsley and garlic. Then pour in the olive oil as the machine continues to break down the ingredients into a fine texture.   With a spatula scrape the sides of the processor bowl to add the sauce to a small bowl and set aside.  (This step takes about 1 minute more or less.)
3. Bring water to boil for the pasta and cook according to package directions.
4. Drain the pasta and save a little of the water. Pour the pasta in to a large mixing bowl, add a tablespoon of butter, add the parsley sauce and the warm tomatoes and mix well.   If too dry stir in a  little of the pasta water and mix well.
5. Serve with the grated cheese on the side.

The parsley sauce can be prepared a day in advance or frozen to be used a week or two later.


Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

I've shared this with:

Hearth and Soul at Premeditated Leftovers