Cheesy Lemon Pasta W/ Salami, Olives & Spinach
By: Cinnamon Girl
Published: Monday, March 8, 2010 - 2:26pm

Ingredients




8 ounces Penne Pasta (like Barila Whole Grain)
1 cup Chopped Spinach, frozen
1 tablespoon Butter
1 yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil, for sauteing
1/2 pound Hard Salami, sliced, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 small can  Black Pitted Olives, drained
4 ounces Ricotta Salata, finely grated (about 1 + ½ cups)
 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
1 Lemon, juiced
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, about 2 tablespoons, plus more for serving
1 cup and ½  Reserved Pasta Water
Sea salt and fresh Black pepper
Fresh basil, chopped

Preparation

1 Cook Penne in plenty of salted water according to package directions to al dente. You will need to reserve 1 and 1/2 cups of the water before draining. Drain and toss with butter and 2 tablespoons of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. 2 While the pasta is cooking saute the onion in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan until soft and tender. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the frozen spinach and more oil if needed, saute until tender. Add the salami and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until warm. 3 In a large mixing bowl toss the pasta, salami mixture, olives, cheeses, lemon juice and reserved pasta water together. Add more Olive Oil if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with basil. 4 Serve with a drizzle of Olive oil and Parmesan.

About


-For a stronger lemon taste grate some of the peel in or add the juice of a second lemon to taste. 
-The reserved pasta water is crucial to the dish. Ricotta Salata and Parmesan are firm, dry cheeses that won't melt much. Along with the lemon juice and olive oil the pasta water is needed to make up the sauce. Without it the pasta will be extremely dry.The best way to grate the Ricotta Salata and Parmesan for this is with a microplane.