Paired with a Farmhouse Ale/Saison
I would be lying if I said that Zach and I didn’t make pasta multiple times of week. While I like the idea of cutting glutenous carbs out of my diet, I know this is just not possible. I love pasta. I love it so much, and if I had to live in a world without it, I would be severely depressed. I see pasta as a blank slate, or a canvas to paint a picture. You can get as crazy as you want or you can keep it extremely simple.
I tend to lean towards the simple route. While Zach and I will make fresh pasta on occasion, it is just not feasible during the week. This is why I love dishes like this spaghetti Aglio e Olio. It doesn’t get much better than this you guys, and I’m almost positive you probably have most of the ingredients gracing the shelves of your pantry or refrigerator. It’s basically a pasta that has been tossed with olive oil, crushed red pepper, and parmesan cheese. I took it up a notch and threw some mushrooms and spinach into the mix, but this is a great way to get rid of some extra veggies.
This recipe is a good one. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal, and I have to be honest, the leftovers are even better!
Beer So I have definitely been posting a lot of recipes paired with saisons/farmhouse ales lately. I apologize for this, but I couldn’t think of another way to go for this pairing. This dish is light. There is no denying that. You need a beer that will highlight that lightness. Something too bold and hoppy will just take away from the pasta. We certainly don’t want that. A farmhouse ale will have some nice earthiness to it, which will really pair well with this pasta.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Wilted Spinach and Mushrooms
Serves 4
Justine
5 minPrep Time
15 minCook Time
20 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound high-quality dry spaghetti
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more to taste)
- 8 ounces quartered crimini mushrooms
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, saving about 1/4 cup of pasta water and set aside.
- While the pasta is boiling, prepare your spinach and mushrooms. In a nonstick skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 6 minutes more until the mushrooms are tender. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes more until the spinach is sufficiently wilted. Remove the pan from heat and add the spaghetti, reserved pasta water, parsley, and parmesan cheese. Toss to coat.
- Serve the spaghetti aglio e olio immediately with fresh bread if desired. Enjoy!
