Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatic Cream Base
- 350 ml heavy cream
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 g fresh sage leaves
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 garlic clove, whole
Pasta & Greens
- 400 g dried pasta
- 200 g kale or swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped
- 60 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 758 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbohydrates
- 79 g
- Fat
- 39 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 433 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 23 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 109 mg
- Potassium
- 737 mg
- Calcium
- 440 mg
- Iron
- 4.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 143 mg
- Phosphorus
- 555 mg
- Zinc
- 3.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 513 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 49 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 199 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.40 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 36 mcg
- Water
- 101 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a deep sauté pan, combine the heavy cream, smashed garlic clove, cinnamon stick, sage leaves, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Do not let it boil vigorously.
Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat. Cover with a lid and let the cream steep for 15 minutes to infuse the flavors.
While the cream steeps, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente according to package directions.
Uncover the cream mixture. Remove and discard the garlic, cinnamon stick, and herb sprigs. Return the infused cream to medium heat.
Add the chopped greens (kale or chard) to the warm cream. Simmer gently until the greens are wilted and tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Transfer the cooked pasta directly into the sauce using tongs, reserving about 120ml (1/2 cup) of pasta water. Toss the pasta vigorously with the cream and greens.
Remove from heat. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese. If the sauce looks too thick or sticky, add reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon (15ml) at a time until silky and glossy. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Chef's Notes
- The cinnamon should be a background note that provides warmth, not a dominant dessert-like flavor. Taste the cream after 10 minutes of steeping; if the cinnamon is strong, remove the stick early.
- For a protein addition, seared scallops or roasted chickpeas pair beautifully with the sweet-savory profile of the sauce.
- Do not rinse the pasta after boiling. The starch on the noodles is essential for binding the cream sauce.
- If using spinach instead of kale, add it at the very last second as it wilts instantly compared to the heartier kale.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Sauce will thicken significantly; reheat with a splash of water or milk.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the emulsion.
Troubleshooting
Sauce has separated or looks oily
Cause: The cream was boiled too vigorously or the heat was too high when adding cheese
Fix: Stir in a splash of cold heavy cream or water and whisk vigorously off the heat to re-emulsify
Prevention: Keep heat low when infusing and remove from heat entirely before adding cheese
Cultural Context
While cinnamon is often associated with sweets in Western cuisine, it is a traditional savory spice in Greek (as in pastitsio) and Middle Eastern cooking. This recipe borrows that savory application, using the spice's essential oils to highlight the natural sweetness of dairy.
