Coquillettes au Comté et Pousses d’Epinard
What you choose to eat when you’re on your own often reveals a lot about your cooking habits. Some people barely eat when alone, some forget meals entirely, others don’t consider it a “real” dinner without company — and a few will even settle for a packaged treat and call it supper. Yet many of those same people are capable cooks; they simply don’t take the trouble to cook for themselves. I believe you should treat yourself as you would a guest.
Eating dinner alone is a unique opportunity to eat exactly what I please and how I please, and relish my sweet solitude.
Keeping things simple when you’re by yourself is perfectly fine — I’m not suggesting multiple courses or a canopy of candles — but solitary meals needn’t be rushed or treated like a chore. For me, dinner alone is a chance to enjoy exactly what I want, how I want it, and to savor my solitude. Often that means eating from a bowl on the couch while watching an episode of whatever series I’m currently hooked on.
This easy pasta is one of my go-to dishes. It’s a grown-up spin on a childhood favorite: tender elbow macaroni tossed with shredded baby spinach and Comté cheese, finished with a touch of nutmeg to complement the greens and the cheese.
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Serves one.
Ingredients
- 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) elbow macaroni
- Fine sea salt
- 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
- 40 grams (1 1/2 ounces) Comté cheese (or gruyère, or parmesan)
- 1/2 teaspoon salted butter
- Freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Bring four cups of fresh water and a teaspoon of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions or until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, coarsely grate the cheese using the large holes of a grater.
- Rinse and dry the baby spinach, then roughly chop the leaves.
- When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to a warm bowl. Add the butter and spinach, season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg, and toss to coat.
- Top with the grated Comté and toss gently — you want the cheese to soften but not melt entirely.
- Grab a fork, settle in with a show, and enjoy.
Notes
Tip: While the pasta cooks, pour half a cup of very hot (not boiling) water into the bowl you’ll use. This warms the bowl and helps keep the pasta hot while you eat. Discard the water before adding the pasta.