Lumpy Lemon Linguine

by Stephanie Reynolds
(Tampa, FL, USA)

Don't ya just love alliteration? Ok, ok. Just a little bit of teacher nerdiness coming out. Alliteration is when you have the same beginning sound repeated; usually 3 times in a phrase or sentence. Like...

Tasty toasted tarts
Freshly fried fish
Sweet sugar shortbread

Get it? Great! You get a gold star!

Getting into the swing of things after the long holiday break isn't always easy for us elementary school teachers, but recipes like this family-pleaser help ease the transition back into the routine. My husband LOVES this dish, and asks me to whip it up often. A few months ago I made it for a family dinner and one of my young 6 year old cousins referred to it as "lumpy but yummy", which of course was the inspiration behind the recipe's name.

I agree... it IS a bit lumpy, but delicious nonetheless. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 box whole grain linguine
2 cups of fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt (remember, you have a full lb. of pasta!)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup sliced black olives
1/2 shallot, minced

Directions:

Boil the pasta as directed, but try and cook to slightly al dente, just for good measure. Drain, do NOT rinse, and add back into the original pot. Turn off heat.

In a bowl, combine lemon juice, shallot, spices, salt. Whisk together to combine. Continue whisking and add olive oil until the it has emulsified into the juice mixture. Set aside.

Add spinach leaves, tomatoes and olives to the hot pasta. The temperature of the pasta will wilt the spinach just enough to soften it, but leaving the bright green color and flavors intact. Pour the dressing over the pasta and stir until all pasta is coated. Let the pasta sit for 5 minutes, then serve warm. I like to add an extra squeeze of lemon to each individual serving, and a little shake of Parmesan cheese just for some extra pizazz.

Enjoy!