Recipe: Garlic Spinach Pasta with Cedar Nuts

This simple, quick recipe has a particularly sophisticated flavour thanks to the lemon, garlic and roasted cedar nuts. Recipe by Alexandra Daum, Occasionally Eggs.

Ingredients

• 250 grams (1⁄2 lb.) spelt pasta
• 60 ml (1⁄4 cup) pasta water (set aside before draining)
• 40 grams (1⁄4 cup) cedar nuts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)
• 100 grams (~3 cups, packed) fresh spinach
• Zest of a lemon
• Juice of a lemon (~3-4 tbsp)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water well and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package or recipe (if homemade).
2. Prepare the cedar nuts and garlic spinach sauce while the pasta is cooking.
3. Heat a frying pan over low-medium. Once the pan is hot, add the nuts (do not add oil). Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes, until the nuts are toasted. Immediately scoop them out of the pan and set aside.
4. Return the pan to the heat and add the olive oil and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and golden.
5. Stir in the salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.
6. Turn off the heat and add the spinach, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The spinach will wilt in the pan.
7. Scoop out some of the pasta water (about 60ml, a ladleful) before draining the pasta, and add it to the pan with the spinach.
8. Mix the drained pasta with the spinach and garlic sauce and serve immediately, topped with toasted cedar nuts.

This recipe was provided by Alexandra Daum from Occasionally Eggs.