When it comes to getting the most flavor and caloric bang for your buck, it’s hard to beat a good pasta recipe. There are many different kinds of noodles and sauces to combine, all of which typically lead to a filling meal that the entire family can get behind (and there’s usually leftovers, too). Sometimes it’s as simple as a marinara spaghetti, other times its a heartwarming mac and cheese dish. But the recipe we have for you today is a little bit special.
If you’re a fan of Italian pasta, you know just how creamy and complex the flavors of great pasta and sauce can be. Today’s recipe for creamy penne florentine is a perfect example of that. The texture is absolutely delicious and it comes packed with mushrooms and spinach. If you want to go the extra mile, you can even add in some chicken or salmon for a little extra protein. No matter how you prepare it, this pasta is definitely a winner. So what are we waiting for?
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 8-10 ounces of penne pasta
- 3 cups of medium mushrooms, sliced and de-stemmed (porcini or shitake work well)
- 3 cups of spinach
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 3/4 cup of parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup of roughly chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Here’s what you do:
1. To get started, get a big pot of water, throw some salt in and put it over medium-high heat to start bringing it to a boil. In the meantime, get out another skillet, put it on medium and add a tablespoon of olive oil to it. Throw your sliced mushrooms in the pan and season them with salt, stirring everything up.
2. Sauté your mushrooms until they soften—to speed this process up, you can cover the pan and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Feel free to turn the heat down if the mushrooms seem like they’re starting to burn.
3. When they’re cooked enough, add your spinach and lemon juice to the mushrooms as well. Keep cooking the spinach until it wilts and reduces before adding your walnuts as well.
4. At this stage in the cooking process, your water should be at a boil. Once the water is ready, add your pasta to it and cook it according to the instructions on the bag, preferably until it is al dente. When the pasta is done, drain it and keep half a cup of the pasta water to the side.
5. With your mushrooms still on the heat, add your heavy cream and keep stirring everything well. mix your parmesan cheese in as well and keep stirring. Your sauce should begin to thicken and take shape. If it seems too thick, add some pasta water into the mix one tablespoon at a time until you hit your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste as well.
6. Finally, throw your drained pasta into the sauce and toss everything together until it’s evenly combined. Turn the heat on low and cook it for about five more minutes. After that, transfer it to plates, add a little more parmesan and you’re ready to eat!
Although this recipe requires a little bit of juggling to time everything right, the result is a creamy and delicious pasta with some great Italian flavor to it. The spinach and mushrooms go well together, the lemon juice gives it all some zest and the walnuts add just a hint of texture to the pasta. If you want to cook up some salmon or chicken and add it in at the end, be our guest, but this is delicious just as it is. As always, have fun with this recipe and let us know how it goes!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
