Linguine with Spicy Chorizo and Goat Cheese
I make this using Spanish chorizo, which is a hard, cooked sausage that can be sliced. Mexican chorizo is soft and needs to be cooked. If you can’t find Spanish chorizo, use Mexican chorizo or spicy Italian pork sausage in its place. Crumble the sausage instead of slicing it, and be sure to cook it until it’s done.
Serves 4 to 6
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 links Spanish chorizo (about 8 ounces), thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 red onion, chopped
Kosher salt for salting the water
8 ounces linguine
4 cup loosely packed spinach, washed and drained
2 tomatoes, cored and chopped
1/4 cup dry red wine
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or marjoram
6 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion and cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, until it’s brown and warmed through and the onion is tender and translucent. (If you’re using Mexican chorizo or Italian sausage, continue to cook it until the sausage is done.)
2. Meanwhile, cook the linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water until it’s al dente, 8 to 9 minutes, or according to the time indicated on the package. Reserve a cupful of the pasta water, drain the linguine in a colander, and transfer it to the skillet with the sausage and onion.
3. Place the skillet over medium-high heat, add the spinach, tomatoes, wine, and enough of the reserved pasta water so the pasta is slippery, not dry or sticky, and cook and stir for 1 or 2 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the ingredients are warmed through. Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese, parsley, oregano, and basil. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.