Spinach and artichoke dip meets pasta

Abbondanza — Italian for "abundance" — is a bi-monthly column from writer Michael La Corte in which the author shares his tips for making traditional Italian-American recipes even better.

I love dips.

I have always loved dips, but they've really done a number on me in recent years. I've gotten to the point where I cook almost nothing else whenever I"m entertaining pals, family, friends and loved ones. It's dips galore at my humble abode, all year round.

From poolside hangs to cozy, comfy Christmas parties, dips are a perfect go-to in almost any setting, environment and occasions, from buffalo and gussied-up ranch to five-cheese and onion extravaganzas — plus everything in between. 

I also love the variety and diversity of dippers: you can keep things raw and gluten-free with raw carrots (my favorite), celery, radish and cucumber. You can offer tortilla or pita chips, or you can opt for large, torn irregular hunks of sourdough. There's no limit to the options.

And as a Libra through and through, that's one of my favorite aspects (Also, as anyone who knows me can attest, my dips will have an especially cheese, bronzed top in 99% of instances)

An especially popular dip, which many go bonkers for, is the classic spinach and artichoke. I decided to turn those familiar, reliable flavors into a pasta sauce that enrobes and enriches a baked pasta dish — which is then, of course, topped with tons of cheeses and broiled until properly browned and bronzed. There's no beating it.

Bring this dish to a festive gathering or enjoy it on a Tuesday in March You'll love it whenever you eat it. And so will your guests.

Baked rigatoni with spinach, artichoke and fontina 

Yields

06 servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound rigatoni, ziti or other short-cut pasta shape (or whatever you have on hand)

Kosher salt

3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 shallot, peeled and minced

8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 large bag baby spinach* 

10 ounces artichokes, roughly chopped (canned or bottled in oil, ideally)* 

1/3 cup white wine

1 cup milk of your choosing (I used A2)

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons mascarpone, optional* 

2 lemons, zested and juiced

4 ounces fontina, grated*

6 to 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for topping 

Freshly ground nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper, optional

Dried chives, for garnish 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt heavily (the water should "taste like the sea," as AB would put it) and then cook pasta according to package directions, removing pasta from water about 2 to 3 minutes shy. Reserve a cup of starchy cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside. Do not rinse.
3. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Cook shallot until translucent. Add garlic and toast for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
4. Add spinach and artichokes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and reduce, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
5. Add milk and cream. Increase heat to medium. Stir until slightly thickened. 
6. Add starchy cooking water and mascarpone, if using. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Sauce should be somewhat loose. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if need be. 
7. Add lemon juice and zest and cook for about a minute or two.
8. Add half of the cheeses and a dash of nutmeg. Lower heat and stir until fully melted. Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, if you'd like.
9. Add pasta to saucepan and stir well. Transfer to a buttered, oven-safe dish. Top with remaining cheese and extra parm. 
10. Put in oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the cheeses are fully melted. 
11. Broil until deeply browned on top. Remove from oven or broiler, let cool 10 minutes, top with chives and serve. Be sure to top your individual bowl with an outrageous amount of grated parm. Enjoy

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Cook's Notes

-Feel free to use literally any other dark green here. Even the largest quantity of spinach can sometimes become so infinitesimal after cooking, so if you'd rather something heartier like a kale or collard, go wild. 

-You can also turn fresh artichokes, but that's just far too much work for this time of year. It's also one of my least favorite kitchen tasks. But I won't yuck your yum if that's what you're into!

-I love the body, consistency and flavor that mascarpone adds, but feel free to skip if you'd rather or don't feel like buying it. This is certainly not a "clean eating" dish and the heavy cream adds a ton of body in and of itself. 

-Just double up the mozzarella if you can't find fontina. 

-You must listen to Christmas tunes while making this. That's mandatory.