Pasta With Spinach, Beans and Pancetta |
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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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This is wonderful pasta with tons of flavor. It is incorporates a lot of different flavors but is well worth the little bit of extra time to make it. The white beans make for a very hearty creamy flavor along with the pancetta, and the spinach makes for a great light addition to the pasta. I hope you give this a try. Ingredients:
1 lb oricchette pasta (little ears or bow tie would work fine or small shells) |
2/3 cup pancetta, diced |
1 onion, medium and finely chopped |
20 ounces cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cans) |
5 plum tomatoes (lightly seeded and chopped) |
5 -6 ounces baby spinach (1 bag of fresh spinach) |
5 teaspoons of minced garlic |
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust as to how much heat you want) |
1/2 cup dry white wine (chardonney or chablis) |
1/2 cup chicken broth |
1/4 cup parsley, chopped |
1 tablespoon kosher salt |
1 teaspoon black pepper |
3 tablespoons olive oil, to (1 to saute the vegetables, 2 for the spinach) |
1 tablespoon butter |
1 cup grated parmesan cheese |
4 tablespoons olive oil |
Directions:
1. Bean sauce - In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and saute the pancetta until lightly brown. Then add the onion, red pepper flakes and continue cooking until the onion is slightly soft and translucent. Then add the beans, salt and pepper, wine, chicken broth, and parsley. Simmer 10-15 minutes on low. Mash up the beans slightly with a fork. The beans will naturally thicken the sauce.
2. Pasta - While the beans cook, start cooking your pasta according to directions.
3. Spinach - Now . while the beans simmer and the pasta cook, lets make the spinach. In a large skillet heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter. Add the garlic and cook just a minute until lightly browned, then add the tomatoes and cook 3-4 minutes until they start to break down. Next, add the spinach and cook until lightly wilted just a couple of minutes, not too long. Add additional salt and pepper and cook until spinach is slightly wilted.
4. Combine - Drain the pasta, (reserve a little of the water) and toss with the bean mixture, parmesan cheese, and the spinach mixture. Add a little of the pasta water if you would like a little more sauce. I also like to drizzle just a bit of good olive oil the top. ENJOY!
5. Some good toasted baguettes are perfect with this. Just topped with a little olive oil is all.
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