Spaghetti with Creamed Spinach and Anchovies in Rizzoli Sauce

1. In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil with a clove of garlic, peeled and stripped of its central core.
2. Add fresh spinach and cook for about 10 minutes, until completely wilted.
3. Transfer spinach to a tall, narrow container, add salt and grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and homogeneous.
5. Pour the creamed spinach into the same pan used to cook the spinach.
6. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of lightly salted boiling water; once al dente, drain directly into the pan with the creamed spinach, adding a tablespoon of the pasta cooking water.
7. Saute the spaghetti for about 1 minute so that the sauce is well blended.
8. Distribute the pasta to serving plates.
9. Before opening, shake the can of Alici in Salsa Rizzoli to mix the sauce evenly.
10. Top the dish with anchovies and season with an additional round of sauce to enhance the flavor.

VARIANTS AND TIPS

You can use linguine or fusilli in place of spaghetti.
Fresh spinach can be substituted with frozen spinach, well squeezed.
For a fresher note, grated lemon peel can be added.
For a more intense flavor, 2 or 3 Anchovies in Sauce can be whipped directly into the cream.
Whole wheat pasta is a suitable alternative for a more rustic-tasting version.
It is advisable not to overcook the spinach: a few minutes is sufficient.
It is preferable to salt moderately, as anchovies in sauce already bring good flavor.
It is recommended to keep a ladleful of pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
Blending the spinach while still hot promotes a smoother cream.
Avoid over-drying the cream in the pan.
Drain the pasta very al dente to complete cooking in the sauce.
Should the cream be too thick, add a little cooking water at a time.

This recipe was created for us by Luisa Orizio @allacciateilgrembiule in collaboration with GialloZafferano