1small white or yellow onion (about 1 cup) finely sliced (I used shallot)
3garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
2 - 3sprigs of basil plus some extra chopped leaves for garnish
2ouncesbaby spinach
2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oilplus more to finish
1 1/2teaspoonkosher or sea salt
1/4teaspoonfreshly ground pepperoptional
1/2teaspooncrushed red pepperor to taste
4cups water
2ouncesparmesan cheese gratedoptional, plus more to finish
Instructions
In a large straight-sided saute pan, or skillet, place the linguini, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil sprigs, and spinach. Make sure the linguine is laying flat in the pan. Drizzle everything with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and few pinches of red pepper flakes, if using. Pour in the 4 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, use tongs to stir and lift the pasta around every so often so that it separates and doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. After 7 minutes, start testing the pasta for doneness. If it needs more time and most of the water has evaporated, add 1 cup of boiling water. Otherwise, continue to cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Turn off the heat and gently toss the pasta a few more times. There might still be some liquid but it will contuse to be absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the parmesan, if using and toss to combine.
Divide among bowls, and garnish with chopped fresh basil. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a sprinkle more of parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart LivingTo store: Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Make it vegan: Omit the Parmesan or use a vegan parmesan. A bit of nutritional yeast would also work here. Make it gluten free: I would avoid quinoa-based, or chickpea-based pastas because they will turn mushy really fast. I have used gluten-free pastas that are made with rice and corn with great success. Rummo gluten-free pastas are all delicious but I have only tried this one-pan pasta technique with the rice and corn linguini so I can't report on the others.