On Sunday I will make pasta with spinach, goat cheese and mascarpone. I know this because tonight (I’m writing this early on Friday morning) I’ll be making a pizza with spinach, egg, goat cheese and mascarpone. Each week (usually on a Tursday evening) I sit down and plan the week ahead. It’s the only way I can split the shopping (which my wife does) with the cooking (which I do). If we didn’t plan then each night would be a what’s-in-the-fridge affair which might be great for creativity but it would likely be terrible for nutrition.
At the very least, if I don’t think about it even once before I cook it, I know that I don’t have to panic and throw something together or eat cereal.
The beauty of planning, however, is the ability to let the idea swish around for a few days and respond to other ideas. Already I’m thinking what else could I add to the basic recipe to make it a little different and take it beyond my base expectations.
This is where I will start:
Pasta (probably tagliatelle)
Spinach
Goat cheese
Mascarpone
Tomato (chopped)
Chilli (because… well, why not)
Plenty of black pepper
Put the spinach in a pan and add a few drops of water. It will wilt very quickly. Stir in the mascarpone, chopped tomato (not too much because we don’t want this to be a tomato based sauce) and then add the goat cheese. Give it all a good stir so it acheives a thick consistency.
Prepare the pasta and, when cooked, drain. Keep a little of the cooking water in. It will help loosen the sauce.
Throw the pasta into the sauce and mix.
Grate parmesan over and grind plenty of black pepper.
So what else? Would garlic help? What about mushrooms?
