Pasta with spinach and Gorgonzola

Ingredients

• 320 gspaghetti alla chitarra
• 10 gdried peppers
• 250 gspinach
• 200 gGorgonzola
• 30 gextra-virgin olive oil
• to tastefine salt
• to tasteblack pepper
• 300 gpeanut oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the spinach

   Bring salted water to the boil. Add the spinach and cook for 3–4 minutes.

2. 2

   Season the spinach

   Drain the spinach into a jug, then season it with olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Blend and fry

   Blend the spinach with a hand blender until smooth. Heat the peanut oil and fry the dried peppers for a couple of minutes.

4. 4

   Cook the pasta

   Drain the peppers on absorbent paper and leave them to cool. Cook the spaghetti al dente in the water used for the spinach. Meanwhile, pour the spinach purée into a frying pan.

5. 5

   Melt the cheese

   Add the Gorgonzola in pieces, reserving a few spoonfuls for the finish, and stir until it melts. Drain the spaghetti.

6. 6

   Finish the pasta

   Transfer the spaghetti straight to the pan with the sauce and finish cooking it there, adding pasta water if needed. Serve the spaghetti straight away.

7. 7

   Garnish and serve

   Top with the reserved Gorgonzola and the fried peppers, crumbled by hand. Serve immediately.

What is pasta with spinach and Gorgonzola?

This dish brings together pasta, a smooth spinach sauce and Gorgonzola, a blue cheese from northern Italy known for its distinctive savoury flavour. Spaghetti alla chitarra, with its square-cut shape, gives the sauce plenty of surface to cling to.

The fried dried peppers add a crisp, savoury finish. Their crunch balances the soft pasta and creamy sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 560 calories, 22g protein, 63g carbs, 25g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the spaghetti, while Gorgonzola and the two oils contribute much of the fat; the cheese also supplies a substantial share of the protein. Add a crisp salad or extra vegetables alongside to round out the plate without making the pasta portion larger.

The spinach sauce

Cook the spinach briefly, then drain it into a jug so it is easy to blend. The olive oil, salt and pepper go in before blending, seasoning the purée throughout.

Blend until the mixture is smooth enough to coat the pasta. If it seems thick in the pan later, loosen it with a little pasta water.

Melting the Gorgonzola

Cut or break the cheese into pieces so it melts readily into the warm spinach purée. Keep a few spoonfuls aside before adding the rest, as directed, for the final garnish.

Stir gently as the cheese softens. The aim is a cohesive sauce, not browned or separated cheese.

Frying the dried peppers

Heat the peanut oil before adding the dried peppers, and fry them for only a couple of minutes. They can darken quickly, so keep an eye on them while they cook.

Drain them on absorbent paper and let them cool before crumbling. This helps preserve their crisp texture for the topping.

Pasta water and texture

Cook the spaghetti in the same water used for the spinach, taking it to al dente before draining. The recipe then finishes the pasta in the sauce, so it can absorb some of the flavour.

Add pasta water a little at a time if the sauce needs loosening. Stop when it coats the spaghetti without pooling at the bottom of the pan.

Timing the finish

Prepare the spinach purée and fry the peppers while the pasta water comes to the boil. Once the spaghetti is ready, move it straight into the pan with the sauce.

Serve as soon as the pasta is coated and the cheese has melted. The crisp pepper topping is best added just before eating.

What to serve with it

A simple green salad or lightly dressed leaves make a fresh contrast to the rich cheese sauce. Serve them alongside rather than mixing them into the pasta.

A small portion of grilled or roasted vegetables also works well. Keep accompaniments lightly seasoned so they do not compete with the Gorgonzola.

Recipe notes & tips

• Reserve a few spoonfuls of Gorgonzola before stirring the rest into the sauce.
• Use the spinach cooking water for the spaghetti as instructed, and salt it before it boils.
• Drain the spinach well before blending so the purée does not become watery.
• Fry the dried peppers briefly and watch them closely as they can darken quickly.
• Keep a little pasta water aside to adjust the sauce as the spaghetti finishes cooking.
• Crumble the fried peppers over the pasta just before serving to keep them crisp.

Variations

• Milder cheese: Use a milder blue cheese in place of some of the Gorgonzola.
• Extra greens: Add a handful of cooked spinach to the finished sauce for a more pronounced leafy texture.
• Pepper-free finish: Skip the fried dried peppers and finish with freshly ground black pepper.
• Different pasta: Use another long pasta shape if spaghetti alla chitarra is unavailable.
• More crunch: Add toasted walnuts at the table for an extra crisp element.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the spinach: It can lose its fresh flavour; cook it for just 3–4 minutes.
• Burning the peppers: They fry quickly; watch them closely and remove them after a couple of minutes.
• Watery purée: Drain the spinach well before blending it with the oil and seasoning.
• Lumpy sauce: Add the Gorgonzola in pieces and stir as it melts into the spinach.
• Dry pasta: Loosen the sauce with a little pasta water while finishing the spaghetti in the pan.
• Soft topping: Leave the fried peppers to cool and crumble them over the dish just before serving.

How to store

Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water, stirring until warmed through; the fried peppers may lose their crunch, so add any freshly fried topping at serving time.

Frequently asked questions