Ingredients
Method
- Start by getting a large pot of water on the stove. Add a generous palmful of salt. You want the water to taste like the sea. This is your only chance to season the pasta itself. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but stop one minute early.
- Before you drain the pasta, scoop out a cup of the starchy water. This water is the secret to a smooth sauce.
- Open your jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Take the tomatoes out and slice them into thin strips. Do not throw away the oil in the jar. Put about two tablespoons of that oil into a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add your thinly sliced garlic to the warm oil. Keep the heat at medium. You do not want to brown the garlic; you just want it to become soft and fragrant. This should take about two minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and oregano now so they can toast in the oil for thirty seconds.
- Add the sliced sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Stir them around so they get coated in the garlic oil. Pour in the heavy cream and bring it to a very gentle simmer. Do not let it boil hard, or the cream might separate. Let it bubble softly for about three minutes until it starts to thicken slightly.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon to make sure the cheese melts completely into the cream. If the sauce looks too thick or sticky, add a splash of that saved pasta water.
- Add the cooked pasta and the fresh spinach to the skillet. Toss everything together. If the sauce seems to disappear into the pasta, add more pasta water a little at a time.
Notes
The most common mistake is throwing away the pasta water. I have done it many times, and the sauce is never as good without it. That starchy water acts like a bridge between the pasta and the sauce. Without it, the sauce can sometimes slide right off the noodles and pool at the bottom of your plate.
Another issue is overcooking the garlic. Since it is sliced thin, it can burn in a matter of seconds. If your pan is too hot, the garlic will turn into hard, bitter chips. Keep the heat low and slow until you add the cream. The cream will drop the temperature of the pan and stop the garlic from cooking any further.