This is a simple dish and the mascarpone and cooking water make a fantastic sauce.
Ingredients
455g/1lb tagliatelle or spaghetti olive oil 2 teaspoons butter 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced ½ nutmeg, freshly grated 400g/14oz fresh spinach, washed thoroughly and finely sliced sea salt freshly ground black pepper 120ml/4 fl oz double cream 150g/5oz mascarpone cheese 2 handfuls Parmesan cheese, freshly gratedMethod
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta, and cook according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile get a frying pan or wok warm, add a drizzle of olive oil, the butter, garlic and nutmeg. When the butter melts, add the spinach. After 5 minutes it will have wilted down and will be nice and dark. A lot of the liquid will have cooked away and you'll have wonderful intensely flavoured spinach. At this point season with salt and pepper, then add the cream, mascarpone and a little ladle of cooking water from the pasta. Let this come to a simmer and then season again.
Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, then stir it into the spinach sauce. Add the Parmesan and toss everything together. Loosen to a nice silky consistency with some of the reserved cooking water, so it doesn't become too claggy. Check once more for seasoning and serve straight away.
