Creamy salmon pasta with spinach & capers recipe (2024)

• 230 gms linguini or any other long pasta of your choice
• 100 gm baby spinach leaves
• 300 gms salmon pin boned and skin on
• Olive oil to fry
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 small shallot finely chopped or half a small brown onion
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• ½ cup La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cup of whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp chopped dill
• Zest of half a lemon
• Juice from a lemon
• 3 Tbsp baby capers drained from their brine
• Salt & pepper
• Grated Parmesan to serve optional

Gremolata pangrattato:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• Zest of half a lemon
• 1 Tbs finely chopped Italian parsley
• Salt & black pepper

• Make the pangrattato first. Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium/ small nonstick pan and when the butter starts to bubble, add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the panko crumbs and toss to coat.

• Add the lemon zest and parsley and fry this for a few minutes until the crumbs turn a golden brown colour. Season lightly with sea salt and black pepper and decant from the pan to serve with the pasta.

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. A minute or so before the pasta is ready, add the baby spinach leaves. Allow this to wilt in the water with the pasta and then drain in a colander reserving a little of the pasta water

• While the pasta is cooking, heat a medium-sized non-stick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper and rub a little olive oil over the flesh.

• Fry (skin side down first) for a few minutes on each side until the salmon is golden and mostly cooked through. It is ok if the fish is a little pink in the middle. Set aside to cool slightly.

• Wipe the pan down with a paper towel and return it to low heat. Add the butter to the pan and when it has melted, add the shallot. Cook until softened but not browned, about 3 – 4 minutes.

• Add the garlic and cook for a minute further. Add the white wine and allow this to bubble away until most of the liquid has evapourated. Add the Dijon mustard and mix to combine.

• Add the cream, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and baby capers, and cook briefly until the sauce starts to thicken. Flake the meat of the salmon into the sauce and heat through.

• Add the drained pasta and spinach to the pan and toss to coat and if necessary add a little of the pasta water to loosen the sauce. . Add salt and pepper to taste.

• Dish up immediately and serve with the golden pangratatto crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.