A rich, cheesy pasta that tastes like you put way more effort into it than you actually did.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1 cup freshly shredded Cato Corner Farm Womanchego cheese (yes, it’s like Manchego, but better and empowered)
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (yes, five…don’t be shy)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- A few handfuls of fresh spinach
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to the package directions. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. (Trust the process.)
- In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and minced garlic. Sauté for 3–5 minutes, or until your kitchen smells like you know what you’re doing.
- Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the paste deepens in color to a rich, dark red. This is where the flavor builds so don’t rush it.
- Pour in the reserved pasta water and stir to loosen up all that tomatoey goodness. Add the heavy cream and stir until everything is smooth and starting to gently simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the shredded Womanchego until it melts into a luscious sauce.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and spinach to the pan. Toss everything together until the spinach wilts and the noodles are fully coated in creamy, cheesy glory. If the sauce is a little thick, add a splash more pasta water until it’s silky and perfect.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with extra cheese, a crank of black pepper, or nothing at all…it’s already a star.
