korean spinach & anchovy pasta!

I would like to begin by notifying you that throughout the course of the previous month, we had consumed this spaghetti more than seven times. Please don’t take offense to this information.

Undoubtedly, this spaghetti meal is absolutely delicious! Not only is the procedure of preparing it simple, but it is not only delicious but also easy on the stomach. In addition, it is not just effortless to prepare. Including butter and rich creams, but not even butter itself!

For the purpose of preparing this pasta, we will first select components from both Italian and Korean cuisine, and then we will boldly stir-fry them together. For the purpose of imparting some flavor to the oil, we are going to make use of soy sauce! With olive oil that has been infused with a variety of flavors and anchovy fillets (more on this later), even a small amount of soy sauce can have a huge influence. This is especially true when combined with olive oil.

Following that, we will be utilizing Korean spinach as the essential component, more specifically a sort of spinach that is known as Seomcho!

Is it possible for you to provide an explanation of what seomcho (ㄬ㴈) constitutes?
South Jeolla Province, which is also referred to as 전라남도, is the primary location where the specific variety of Korean spinach known as Seomcho is brought to life through cultivation.

During the stir-frying process, seomcho does not undergo as much wilting as other vegetables do. This is one of the aspects that adds to the dish’s appearance of being extremely tasty.

In the event that you do not have access to a large Korean store, you should be informed that it will be difficult for you to locate Seomcho. One must have a solid grasp on this particular subject. In this dish, you may use either traditional Korean spinach or Western spinach without any difficulty; despite the fact that both varieties of spinach will grow more compact, the flavor will continue to be superb.

In fact, the cultivation of Seomcho on a commercial scale began in 1996 and has continued right up until the present day. This is a change that took place not too long ago in the most recent past.

There is a substantial portion of the Korean public that is not very familiar with this particular variety of spinach. This is a well-known fact.

There are also names that are used to characterize it, such as Namhae-cho (储해洈) and Pohang-cho (鏬항초). These names are also used to refer to each other.

This stands in stark contrast to the fact that the flavor of Seomcho is very remarkable! A place that is perfect for foodies to visit.

Additionally, the leaves have a natural sweetness to them, in addition to the fact that they are loaded with a large variety of different nutrients.

pasta

It is vital that you acquire a substantial amount of them in the event that you ever find yourself in the Korean market.

a number of components that were imported from Italy and utilized…
The creation of this particular variety of pasta involves the use of oil. In addition to that, we are going to begin by infusing our olive oil with a substantial quantity of garlic and pepperoncino, and then we are going to add pepperoncino to the mixture.
Because of the salty funkiness of the anchovy fillets, our oil sauce is boosted with an additional layer of umami, which also contributes to the complexity of the sauce while also contributing to the overall flavor.

I would like to bring to your attention the fact that the anchovy filets are entirely dissolved after being stir-fried in oil that has been heated. I would like to bring this to your attention in order to bring it to your attention. This is something that you are not going to miss at any point!

For the sake of preventing the spinach from continuing to wilt under the heat, we should refrain from stir-frying it for an excessively long period of time. We will supply you with a number of cooking suggestions, and this is one of them.

Before beginning to stir-fry, it is of the utmost importance that you have all of the ingredients ready to go on the side and that you have weighed them out in the appropriate manner. Because of this, you will be able to acquire anything that you require.

If you want the oil sauce to have the perfect flavor, you have to make sure that you do not forget to add those three pinches of salt at the very end of the procedure. This will ensure that the sauce has the perfect flavor. You should not put cheese on this spaghetti, and this may be the only time you ever hear this advice, but it is surely not the least of the things to consider.

It has a tendency to take precedence over the delicate salty and umami flavors that the simple components possess. This is because of the tendency that it has to take precedence. We find that one of our favorite things to do when we first wake up in the morning is to go through pictures of the dishes that you have prepared. If you wind up creating this dish, we would appreciate it if you would send us a tag on Instagram.

Additionally, if you are going to be cooking by yourself tonight, you shouldn’t be bothered about it at all! You can keep yourself entertained by listening to the most current episode of our podcast as you get ready.

Ingredients

200 grams Korean Spinach (Or Seomcho)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
8 cloves Garlic
5-6 small-sized Small-Sized Peperoncino
2 Anchovy Filets
2 teaspoons (!) Soy Sauce
3 pinches Salt (to season stir-fried spinach)
4-5 cracks Black Pepper (to season stir-fried spinach)
200 grams Penne Pasta (~2 Cups)
2 Soup Ladles Pasta Water (~100ml)

Instructions

Prep Spinach & Ingredients

Thoroughly wash the Korean Spinach (200g). Trim off the stem and separate the leaves.
Slice 8 garlic cloves into thin slices.
Set aside 5 small-sized peperocino. (If yours are large-sized, use 3)
Take out 2 anchovy filets from the jar. Use two forks to tear them into small pieces.
Finally, measure and set aside 2 teaspoons(!) (NOT TABLESPOON) of Soy Sauce.

Boil Pasta

Add hot water to a pot. Add-in a large spoonful of salt. Bring it to boil.
After it comes to a boil, add in 200g of penne (~2 standard cups worth)
Set a timer for 9 mins.
After 9 mins (before you drain the water), scoop out ~2 soup ladles worth of the pasta water and set it aside for later.
Drain the pasta. Set the al-dente pasta aside for just a few minutes.

Make Pasta & Stir-Fry

Add 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil into a wok or large frying pan.
Add in garlic slices and peperoncino. Then place the wok on medium-heat and wait until the ingredients sizzle in the oil.
Once the edges of the garlic start to brown, add in soy sauce. Then immediately add in the spinach… to prevent oil from splattering out!
Now lower the heat to a LOW. Stir-fry the spinach around for 10 seconds… or until the spinach starts to sweat.
Now, quickly add in the anchovy filets. Followed by Salt (3 big pinches) and Black pepper (4-5 cracks). Give everything a good stir for 10 seconds.
Now add the penne (200g). Along with some* of the residual pasta water (*note: don’t have to add everything in)
Raise to a HIGH heat and stir-fry everything together for 30-40 seconds.
Turn off heat. Give it a quick taste – add pinch of salt if slightly bland..
Plate and enjoy!! You’re going to love it.

FAQ:

Can I use other greens instead of spinach?

If you want to avoid using spinach in the dish, you can substitute it with any number of other types of greens. Kale, Swiss chard, and arugula are a few examples of several greens that fall under this category. When it comes to achieving success, this is something that is within the realm of possibility. To ensure that the cooking time is appropriate for the various kinds of greens that are used in the preparation of the dish, it is vital to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Can I make this dish vegetarian or vegan?

On the other hand, if you want to make the dish acceptable for vegetarians, you may actually exclude the anchovies from the recipe. It is possible to obtain a similar briny flavor in a vegan version of the dish by substituting capers or olives for the anchovies. This is a viable option. It is necessary to carry out these steps in order to accomplish the desired result. Because of this, a vegetarian version of the dish will be created.

How do I blanch spinach?

It is necessary to bring a saucepan full of water to a boil in order to execute the blanching process for spinach. It is necessary to make extensive preparations before blanching spinach. The spinach leaves should be added and cooked for approximately thirty seconds to one minute, or until they acquire the desired hue, in order to achieve a lovely green tint. It is because of this that the spinach leaves will be able to reach the desired hue. In order to put an end to the cooking process using this method, you should immediately put an end to it after placing the spinach in a dish that is filled with ice water. As a consequence of engaging in this technique, the spinach will not be cooked. After that, the spinach needs to be drained and then diced before it can be considered ready for use.

Can I make this dish in advance?

You can, on the other hand, make the sauce and blanch the spinach in advance rather than waiting until the very last minute, despite the fact that it is advised that the pasta be served fresh. Even though it is recommended that the pasta be served fresh, Once the pasta has been cooked, it is suggested that it be combined with the sauce and heated until it reaches a temperature that is completely hot. This should be done until the pasta reaches the desired temperature. You should heat the combination until it reaches the temperature you want it to be at.

Is this dish spicy?

It is feasible for individuals to alter the level of spiciness to fit their own particular preferences, and consumers have the opportunity to exercise this control over the product. You have the flexibility to change the amount of red pepper flakes that you add to the dish, which will allow you to tailor the level of heat that is present in the dish.