Mangia Mondays:: Spaghetti with Onions and Spinach

Welcome to the fourth Mangia Monday! Thanks so much to everyone who participated last week – there were so many drool-worthy recipes linked up! Each week I have been looking forward to seeing what you link up! And a special thanks to my co-host Kristin from Delightfully Dowling who is truly the mastermind behind this fun hop – I’m just riding on her coat tails. Did you see her tie-dye cupcakes last week? Are you kidding me??? They are gorgeous and Kristin explains it so that even a spazzy baker like me could manage them!

Today I’m sharing with you a very simple recipe that is an adaptation of a dish my husband’s Sicilian family makes. I would be disowned to share any of their original recipes on this blog so they’re all in the vault, but this is one that we’ve played with over the years and can call our own. You know how I love to incorporate my red pepper oil into dishes!

I believe recipes like this one originated from lean times when meat was hard to come by. Always creative with what the garden provided, the Sicilian chef in days of old would add whatever was on hand to pasta to make a satisfying meal. Today we often have this dish on a Friday during lent when we don’t eat meat, or throughout the year with the addition of sweet Italian sausages grilled and sliced. It’s quick, easy and lovely with a glass of wine. You can make it your own by adding whatever veggies you have – experiment a bit and have fun!

Spaghetti with Onions and Spinach
{Print Recipe}

1 onion
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
red pepper oil*
6 oz. (1 bag) baby spinach
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 lb. thin spaghetti

Peel onion and slice into 1/4″ rings, then halve.

Swirl red pepper oil (about 2 T) in large saute pan and heat on medium until just shimmering.

Add onions and cook until transluscent and starting to brown, about 7-8 minutes. If you like a spicier dish add 1/2-to-1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (with just the red pepper oil the dish has a mild level of spiciness. I like to kick it up a notch with another dash of red pepper flakes).
About halfway through cooking onions, add minced garlic and continue to saute.

Add fresh spinach and saute until wilted, incorporating into onions. Use tongs to turn spinach frequently so the top layer can get to the heat source.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti as directed on box; drain, return to pot and add a couple tablespoons of red pepper oil to coat and prevent from sticking while spinach and onions cook. When veggies are done, add spagetti to cooked spinach and onion mixture, along with 1/4 cup parmesan, and combine.

Serve with freshly grated parmesan and mangia!

Note:  I do not add salt to this meal as the parmesan cheese contains salt.

If you do not have red pepper oil on hand, you can substitute with regular olive oil but be sure to add a dash of red pepper flakes to give the dish a little zing! To read about making your own red pepper oil click here.

Now you’re up! Link up your recipes to the Mangia Monday blog hop and join the fun!

Mangia Mondays Guidelines:

•Add a link to your recipe or food post {not your blog homepage} & visit some of the others who have linked up before you.
•Thank you for not linking to giveaways, other link parties or items you are selling.
•Link back by putting the Mangia Mondays button in your post or anywhere on your blog to let others know you’ve joined the party.
•Help spread the word about Mangia Mondays with others by sharing this post!