Spinach & Gorgonzola Cavatappi

Anesthesia is crazy.

I'm happy to be talking to you from the other side of my wisdom tooth extraction.  Though I hardly remember much of the procedure, or the two hours after it.  I'm thankful to have had an excellent oral surgeon.  After the initial jab of the needle and the anesthesia washing over me, I have felt very little pain.  It's been a generally good experience!  I'm now down four useless teeth and happy that I won't have to do it again.

The only problem I had with the extraction is the timing, which is totally my fault.  The dentist told me no spicy foods until I'm all healed up.  This would normally be fine, but I planned the surgery just before a visit to my parents in Buffalo.  I couldn't have a single hot wing the entire time I was home!  I was so disappointed and now I'm back in New Jersey with a healed mouth and no chicken wings!  I'll have to make some wing sauce this week.

Before my extraction I made this amazing pasta dish.  I have an all new love affair with panko breadcrumbs.  And deep frying them.  Then devouring them.  This dish was super easy too and ready in less than 30 minutes.  It also uses my favorite pasta shape - cavatappi!  If you can't find the fun little corkscrews, feel free to use any pasta with ridges.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Peanut Pralines
Two Years Ago: Honey-Basil Chicken
Three Years Ago: Marriott-Style Crunchy French Toast

Spinach & Gongonzola Cavatappi with Crispy Chicken

A Wilde original

For the Pasta

9 ounces spinach
4 tablespoons butter
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup Pinot Grigio
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 clove garlic, minced
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound cavatappi pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated asiago cheese


Wash spinach and shake off most of the excess water.  Toss spinach in a large skillet and cover with a lid.  Steam spinach until completely wilted.  Remove from the pan and place in a colander in the sink.  Let the spinach cool to room temperature.  Squeeze out excess water then puree in a food processor.

While the spinach is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add crumbled cheese and stir until the cheese is melted into the butter.  Add spinach puree, wine, milk, garlic, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Once you turn the temperature to low, add the cavatappi pasta to the boiling water.

Cook pasta until al dente and the drain.  Add pasta to the spinach sauce and toss to coat.  Serve topped with chicken and a sprinkling of asiago cheese.

For the Chicken

2 Chicken breasts, pounded 1/2-inch thin
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  It will shimmer when it's hot enough.

Get out three pie pans.  Place the flour in one, egg yolk in the next and panko crumbs in the third, with the panko-filled pie pan closest to the stove.  Dredge chicken breasts in flour, shake off excess.  Next, dip the chicken in the beaten egg, let excess drip off.  Finally coat chicken in panko crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the chicken.  Add chicken to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until each side is golden brown.  Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.  Let the paper towels absorb the extra oil for 5 minutes.  Cut chicken breasts on an angle and serve with the spinach and gorgonzola pasta.