Penne With Spinach Pine Nuts And Raisins Recipes

SPINACH WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Soak the raisins in a bowl with enough warm water to cover for 10 minutes.
• Rinse the spinach in a couple changes of cold water. Discard any wilted or bruised leaves and trim away any thick, woody stalks.
• Place the spinach in a large pan with nothing but the water that clings to the leaves, cover the pan, and cook over low heat until the spinach has collapsed and is tender. This should take 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer the spinach to a colander and drain. Once it's cool enough, squeeze it with your hands to eliminate any excess liquid.
• Meanwhile, peel and gently crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife.
• In a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat, gently cook the garlic until fragrant and lightly golden and then remove it. Add the butter to the pan, let it foam slightly, then add the pine nuts and turn them in the oil before adding the spinach and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, or just until the spinach leaves glisten.
• Drain the raisins and add them to the pan, gently turn the ingredients a couple more times, and serve immediately.

SPINACH AND PINE NUTS WITH PENNE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add penne and boil for 10 minutes or according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and olive oil until foamy. Add pine nuts and saute, stirring continuously until they turn golden. Add garlic and saute for a minute to release the aroma. Add spinach in two batches if you must and toss together just until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon or so of water to get spinach steaming. Drain pasta and serve in bowl. Toss with wilted spinach and garnish with port soaked currants.

SPINACH-FETA PENNE WITH PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Cook penne pasta according to package directions.
• As pasta is cooking, toast pine nuts lightly in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently and keeping a close eye on them to prevent burning.
• Remove pine nuts from heat when lightly browned, after about 1-2 minutes.
• Set aside pine nuts.
• Drain cooked pasta and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or wok.
• Add garlic and saute over medium heat for about 30 seconds, being careful not to let garlic brown.
• Stir in cooked pasta.
• Stir in feta and Parmesan cheese and cook for a 2-3 minutes, until feta cheese just starts to melt and pasta and cheese is thoroughly heated through.
• Stir in spinach and continue to heat until spinach barely starts to wilt.
• Take pasta off heat and stir in the toasted pine nuts.
• Transfer to serving dish and serve.

SPINACH WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS (ESPINACS A LA CATALANA)

Steps:

• Place the raisins in a small bowl, add very hot water to cover, and soak until plump, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels, then set aside.
• Rinse, but do not drain the spinach. Place the spinach in a large saucepan over medium heat and cover the pan. Cook the spinach in the water that clings to its leaves until just wilted, 4-5 minutes, stirring a few times.
• Transfer the spinach to a colander and squeeze out the excess moisture by pressing on the spinach with the back of a spoon. Chop the spinach coarsely. (The spinach can be prepared a few hours ahead up to this point).
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over low heat. Add the garlic, pine nuts, and soaked raisins and cook until the nuts and garlic are light golden, 3-5 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium, add the chopped spinach and cook for about 1 minute, stirring to combine evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

CREAMY SPINACH, PINE NUTS AND RAISINS WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in covered pot for orzo.
• Mince shallots in food processor.
• Wash and trim tough stems from spinach, and set spinach aside.
• Mix together yogurt and sour cream.
• When the water boils, cook orzo for 9 to 11 minutes.
• Heat oil in a nonstick pot large enough to hold all the ingredients but the orzo. Saute the shallots in the oil until they begin to turn golden. Stir in the pine nuts and currants, and cook over low heat until pine nuts begin to brown; set aside.
• A few minutes before the orzo is cooked, add spinach to shallot mixture; cover, and cook until spinach wilts.
• Remove from heat, and stir in the yogurt mixture; season with salt and pepper.
• Drain the orzo, and stir in the spinach mixture.

SPINACH WITH PINE NUTS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Rinse the spinach well and remove the stems. Place in a large sauté pan with only the rinsing water clinging to the leaves. Cook over medium heat, turning as needed until wilted, just a few minutes. Drain well and set aside. Add the olive oil to the now-empty pan and place over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the spinach, raisins, and pine nuts and sauté briefly to warm through. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm or at room temperature.

PENNE WITH SPINACH AND FETA

Steps:

• Melt butter with 2 tblsps oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add pine nuts and garlic and saute until pine nuts are light brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add spinach and tomatoes and saute until heated through, about 3 minutes.
• Place penne in large serving bowl.
• Add remaining 4 tblsps olive oil to pasta and toss to coat.
• Pour spinach-nut mixture over and toss to coat.
• Add feta.
• Season with salt and pepper (careful with the salt!) and toss thoroughly.
• Serve immediately.

ONE-POT PENNE WITH SPINACH, RICOTTA, AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes; set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to manufacturer's directions. Add spinach during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain; return pasta and spinach to pot. Add oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Toss well.
• Serve immediately, topped with ricotta, pine nuts, and Parmesan.