Peruvian-style green spaghetti with spinach, feta and smoked almonds

Name: Peruvian-style green spaghetti with spinach, feta and smoked almonds
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: South American
Ingredients: 500g spaghetti

Katrina Meynink

June 3, 2024

Peruvian-inspired pasta sprinkled with smoked almonds.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4-6

I love this green spaghetti over and above any other green sauce. Migration can make for innovation, and the influx of Italians in Peru in the early 1800s resulted in this twist on the Ligurian pesto pasta, known as tallarines verdes.

It is usually made with queso fresco but given this cheese can be hard to find, I have used a soft feta instead. I’ve also subbed the traditional pecans for smoked almonds, but this is adaptable enough to use with whatever nuts you have on hand. You will be eating this straight out of the pan – it’s mind-blowingly simple and incredibly delicious.

Ingredients

500g spaghetti

Sauce

3 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
300g English spinach, washed thoroughly, large stems removed
leaves from 1 large bunch basil
170ml (⅔ cup) tinned evaporated milk
½ cup soft creamy feta
¼ cup smoked almonds, chopped, plus extra to serve

Method

Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
Step 2
To a frying pan, add the olive oil and place over low heat. Once warm, add the crushed garlic and cook until incredibly fragrant, ensuring the garlic isn’t taking on any colour.
Step 3
Add the spinach and basil and cook, stirring constantly, until the leaves wilt and start to soften − the leaves should reduce in volume by about three-quarters. Season with ½-1 tablespoon of sea salt flakes and transfer to a high-powered blender with the remaining ingredients, then blitz to a smooth sauce-like consistency. If the sauce seems a little thick, add a splash of evaporated milk or wait until you have cooked the pasta and use some of the starchy cooking water to thin the sauce in the pan.
Step 4
Pour the sauce back into the frying pan you used to cook the garlic and spinach. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
Step 5
Add the pasta to the pot of water and cook until al dente. Strain and transfer the pasta to the sauce, and using tongs, gently toss to coat. Serve pasta in bowls and scatter with extra smoked almonds. Season with sea salt flakes and freshly cracked pepper, and serve.