In this recipe, the surprise ingredient is the smoked salmon. It adds a smoky, salty boost to this dish. When tossed together with the mascarpone and the bright tomatoes, you’ll be left with a great sauce for any pasta, lighter than a typical cream sauce but still silky and rich. We add toasted pine nuts for another marvelous layer of texture and flavor.
Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium low heat. Add pine nuts, toast until golden, 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan, leaving the toasted oil in the pan.
Add 2 tbsp oil to the skillet, garlic and shallot. Sauté until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add cumin, nutmeg, chili flakes, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.Stir in spinach, cook until slightly welted, for 1 minute. Add sun-dried tomatoes, cook for 2 minutes.
Now add lemon juice, smoked salmon and mascarpone, gently stir until just combined. Toss with pasta and add 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Remove from heat.
Serve immediately with chopped chives, toasted pine nuts and some extra chili flakes. Enjoy!
