Cacio E Pepe and Spinach With White Beans

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"Rachael Ray"

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
• 1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
• 1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach
• 3 -4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (14 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and salt it; add pasta and cook al dente; **you will use a ladle of the cooking water for the sauce right before you drain the pasta.
2. Place a large skillet over low heat with the butter, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and pepper; let it hang out until the pasta is done.
3. When the pasta is ready, take a ladle of the starchy cooking water and add it to the butter-pepper mixture.
4. Drain pasta and toss it in the pan with the sauce; turn off the heat; add in the cheese in small handfuls, then toss the pasta with tongs, until all the cheese is incorporated into the creamy sauce.
5. Add another ladle of cooking water if needed, then season the pasta to taste with salt and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
6. While the pasta works, defrost the spinach in the microwave for 6 minutes on high; place the spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring the water out.
7. Heat a small skillet over medium heat; add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then the garlic.
8. Cook garlic for 2 minutes, then add in the beans; add the spinach to the beans, breaking it up as you drop it into the pan.
9. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper; serve the spinach and beans alongside the hot pasta.

Reviews

[PA.Dutch.Gramma]

I halved the Cacio e Pepe portion of this recipe and made the Cannellini Beans and Spinach portion using 10 ounces fresh spinach instead of frozen. Served this with Sweet Italian sausage. My husband likes a LOT of fresh ground black pepper on his food (me, not so much) so I thought he'd really like Cacio e Pepe. He LOVED it! This Cacio e Pepe is a very flavorful, easy to prepare recipe that I'll definitely make again, and the cannellini beans and spinach, but will reduce the black pepper from 2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons and let hubby add more to his at the table.

 

[FlemishMinx]

I first found this recipe on Oprah's website, I believe. Delicious combination, and it even very much pleased my husband who would ordinarily rather I gave no-meat meals a miss. Thanks for posting!

 

[Cookie16]

Loved it!! Super Easy and usually have all of this on hand. This is from the "Meals for the Exhausted" section of the Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals Cookbook. I got the cookbook by sending in box tops from Triscuits. Anyway, I had this for dinner tonight and I loved it. We halved the pasta part and it served 2 children and 2 adults. You might want to cut down on the oil and butter if you ware watching fat. Thanks for posting NurseDi!!