Spinach, Chilli and Lemon Pasta Recipe by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s latest culinary title has officially hit shelves, offering a collection of innovative recipes designed to meet the increasing consumer interest in high-fiber diets.

Photo: Emma Lee

‘You can use blocks of frozen spinach straight from the freezer for this delicious dish, or go for a fresh spinach version (see below). If you’re organised, you can defrost frozen spinach first, in a cool place or overnight in the fridge – this might take a few hours, but it will cut down on the cooking time.’

• Plant count 7

• Fibre count 11g

• Serves 4

• Ready in 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the pasta

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, slivered

• 600g frozen spinach

• 300g wholewheat pasta, such as penne, radiatori, gomitini or fusilli

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes, or 1 fresh red chilli (membranes and seeds removed for less heat if you prefer), finely chopped 

• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, or 40–50g preserved lemon, pips removed, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

• Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onion with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Fry, stirring often, for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two longer.

2. Add the frozen spinach. (If it has been frozen as loose bits, it won’t take long to defrost and heat up. If it’s in solid bricks, it will take about 10–15 minutes.) Cover the pan to start with, then lift the lid occasionally to stir. Once all the spinach is defrosted, cook, stirring, for a couple more minutes, to make sure it is completely separated and combined with the onion. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. 

3. Boil the kettle. Fill a large saucepan with boiling water and add a big pinch of salt. Tip in the pasta and cook, according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain, saving some of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with a little olive oil; keep warm in the covered pan.

4. When the spinach is piping hot, add the chilli and lemon zest or preserved lemon. Stir over the heat for a minute or so, then add about 50ml of the pasta cooking water and the nutritional yeast, if using. Stir to combine. 

5. Tip the spinach mix into the pan of hot pasta. Stir over a low heat for a couple of minutes to get everything piping hot. Squeeze over the lemon juice (if you’re not using preserved lemon) and taste to check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve at once.

SWAPS

• Use fresh spinach instead of frozen. Add in 3 or 4 lots to the sweated onions, wilting it down as you go, and cook for just a couple of minutes, stirring until well combined with the onions.

• Frozen peas are a nice addition to this dish. Add 50–100g to the pasta water when the pasta is almost done, then bring back to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. The peas and pasta should be perfect, so you can drain them together and toss with the spinach. 

• Omni/VBNV option: Use grated Parmesan (or veggie alternative) instead of the nutritional yeast. Grate a little over the dish before serving as well.

High Fibre Heroes by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Published by Bloomsbury), £26