Creamy Ziti Florentine is a good weekday recipe to have in your back pocket. Made with spinach, scallions, lemon and ricotta cheese. Quick and easy stovetop recipe!
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is known as the birthplace of the Renaissance. But art is not her only treasure.
What does “Florentine” mean in cooking?
In fact, this dark leafy green is so common in dishes from this region that adding “Florentine” to a recipe’s name usually indicates that spinach is involved. Chicken Florentine, Quiche Florentine and now this – Ziti Florentine!
When shopping for ingredients, look for the very best ricotta you can find. If you live near an Italian market, you’ll likely find some ricotta that’s a few cuts above the standard supermarket brand. It should be rich and creamy, which is the secret to making a swoonable pasta dish without a dollop of cream.
Another important note: the term al dente.
What is pasta “al dente” all about? The term literally means “down to the tooth”. When it comes to cooking pasta, it means cooking pasta until tender but still having some bite when you bite into it.
Why cook pasta al dente?
This is important because in Italian cooking, pasta is often added to the sauce and cooked for a minute or two before serving. That means the pasta absorbs some of the flavorful sauce instead of just being coated in it, and because it was al dente, it doesn’t get mushy or overcooked.
If you’re pressed for time you can always turn to Pasta and this one is a real winner. Not much fuss and with a big reward.
Creamy Ziti Florentine
ingredients
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1 lb dry ziti noodles
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Salt and pepper, taste
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2 tablespoon olive oil
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1 bunch spring onionswhite and light green parts only, thinly sliced
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4 cups (approx 4 ounces) baby spinach leaves
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1/2 Cup fresh grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano, plus more for garnish
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citrus peel from 1 lemon
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1 cup (approx 8th ounces) fresh ricotta
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1/2 Cup loosely packaged torn basil leaves
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1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley
method
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Cook pasta:
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
Add the ziti and cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until al dente (al dente). Scoop out and reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water and drain the pasta in a colander.
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Meanwhile, cook the spring onions and spinach:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the scallions and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until the scallions are soft. Add the spinach and cook, turning with tongs, for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until wilted.
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Finish pasta:
Add the cooked ziti to the pan along with 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Add parmesan, lemon zest, ricotta, basil and parsley. Stir vigorously until everything is mixed.
Add more pasta cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.
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Serve pasta:
Place the ziti in shallow bowls and sprinkle with more Parmesan.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 417 | calories |
| 11g | Fat |
| 61g | carbohydrates |
| 17g | protein |
