Dish | Linguine with Burrata Cheese, Spinach, Lemon, and Toasted Almonds

Pasta is my go-to simple dinner. I'd say I make pasta 1-2 nights out of the week. I love it because you can add almost anything to it which makes it fun and easy to cook seasonally. The different pairings of proteins or vegetables are almost endless. Of course there are some solid recipes I have on standby year-round, such as my Spaghetti Carbonara with Poached Eggs, but I'll save that for another time. The joy of just going to the market and grabbing a few random ingredients is what makes pasta so fun. You can't really mess it up if you're willing to try.



LINGUINE WITH BURRATA CHEESE, SPINACH, LEMON & TOASTED ALMONDS | Recipe inspired by Bon Appétit December 2004

1 pound linguine (you can really use whatever pasta you feel like)
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
4 cups spinach
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 pound burrata cheese, cut into medium chunks

Burrata is a luscious Italian cheese made by mixing cream and unspun mozzarella curds together (for a texture similar to ricotta): the mixture is then inserted into the center of a ball of fresh mozzarella. It can be found in some supermarkets, at specialty foods shops, and at Italian markets. Substitute fresh mozzarella if you can't find burrata.



1 | Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and lemon peel. Drain pasta, transfer to a large bowl.

2 | Place spinach and almonds on top of hot pasta. Pour the hot butter, olive oil and lemon mixture over spinach. Toss until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Top with burrata cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve. Serves 4-6.