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3. When the water boils, add the linguine, keeping the heat high. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, tasting the pasta toward the end of the suggested time to be sure it is not getting overcooked. When the linguine is just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander. Shake to mostly drain (it’s okay to leave some water clinging). Then transfer the pasta to the bowl containing the spinach mixture, mixing it in with the tongs or the fork until all the pasta is coated with olive oil. The spinach will wilt on contact with the hot pasta.

4. Immediately sprinkle in the Parmesan and toss well, so the cheese gets evenly distributed and melts nicely. Add the peas, mixing them in very gently so you don’t break them. (Just shake the bowl a few times, and they’ll mix themselves in.)

5. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, passing extra Parmesan and red pepper flakes for people to add at the table.

DEFROSTING PEAS

To defrost frozen peas, remove them from the box or bag, put them in a microwave-safe dish, and microwave them until they are thawed. You can also simply put them in a strainer and run cool water over them. Or even easier, just put the box or bag in a bowl and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

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GET CREATIVE

Use a high-quality olive oil for more flavor.

Sprinkle the finished pasta with a few lightly toasted pine nuts.

Increase the garlic to 1 tablespoon for more intense flavor.

Add a few teaspoons of Roasted Garlic Paste (Chapter 1: Soups) along with the fresh garlic, mashing it into the olive oil.

Use arugula in place of some or all of the spinach to add a more peppery flavor.

Add ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese when you add the peas.

Stir a teaspoon or two of freshly grated lemon zest into the finished pasta.

Make this vegan by using eggless pasta and omitting the cheese.

* * *

penne with broccoli and pesto

Makes 3 to 4 servings

Convenience squared: You toss chopped broccoli into the pot right along with the pasta, and then drain and sauce everything with pesto (which, if it’s store-bought, makes things even easier). If you do go with purchased pesto, you’ll have better results with the fresh kind (sold in plastic tubs in the refrigerator case), rather than the kind that comes in a jar (which is cooked in the packaging process and has much less flavor). Or even better (and much cheaper), make your own (see Chapter 8: Party Snacks). The pesto needs to be at room temperature, so take it out of the refrigerator shortly before you need it. Leftovers? Chill. You’ll have a perfect cold pasta salad for tomorrow’s lunch.

¼ cup olive oil

¾ cup pesto, store-bought or homemade (Chapter 8: Party Snacks)

Salt for the pasta water

¾ pound penne

1 large head of broccoli (1½ pounds), tough stem ends discarded, and the rest cut on the diagonal into 2-inch spears

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

¾ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Pour the olive oil into a large bowl. Add the pesto and whisk until uniformly blended. Set aside.

2. Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt. Place a large colander in the sink. When the water boils, add the penne, keeping the heat high. Cook for close to the amount of time recommended on the package. Taste the pasta, and when it looks like the penne have about a minute or so to go, add the broccoli directly to the boiling water. (The broccoli will cook in seconds.) When the pasta and broccoli are just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, ladle out and save about 1 cup of the pasta water, then dump the remaining water-plus-pasta-plus-broccoli into the colander. Shake to mostly drain (it’s okay to leave some water clinging), and then transfer the pasta-plus-broccoli to the pesto mixture.

3. Mix well, so all of the pasta and broccoli is evenly coated with pesto and olive oil. Toss in the Parmesan as you mix (it will melt, coating