Linguine with Spinach Sauce

Frozen spinach gets a serious upgrade here. Simmered in butter, olive oil, and dry white wine with sweet sliced onions and four cloves of garlic, it loses any frozen-block flatness and turns silky. Sliced mushrooms join the pan in the last few minutes so they keep some bite, and dried basil bloomed in the warm fat brings a savory backbone.

The trick is finishing off the heat. Grated Parmesan gets stirred in only after the pan comes off the burner, so it melts into a smooth coating instead of seizing into stringy clumps. Toss the sauce with hot drained linguine and the pasta drinks up every drop.

Great with crusty garlic bread and a glass of whatever white wine went into the sauce.

Chef Tips

• Thaw spinach fully and squeeze out as much water as possible before adding. Wet spinach dilutes the sauce.
• Crush the garlic cloves rather than mincing for a mellower, sweeter flavor that holds up in the longer simmer.
• Do not boil the sauce after adding Parmesan. The cheese will separate and turn grainy.
• Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining. A splash loosens the sauce if it tightens up on the plate.

Variations

• Stir in a handful of toasted pine nuts or walnuts at the end for crunch.
• Add red pepper flakes with the garlic for a low-burn heat.
• Swap linguine for fettuccine or whole-wheat pasta for a heartier bowl.