I was kind of thinking of this as a twist on cacio e pepe, the simple Italian pasta with pepper and cheese. But then I thought, what about carbonara? With that egg swirled in? Instead of making the egg part of the sauce, I decided to poach it instead, because I’m a sucker for a poached egg on top of stuff.
You could increase the veggie quotient with some wilted spinach or arugula, but I love how simple this dish is, and how much it puts the focus on that delicious garlic flavor.
Hot spinach and artichoke dip seems appropriate for today. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1/2 (10 ounce) package chopped frozen spinach, thawed, and moisture squeezed out
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon (or more!) Tabasco or Sriracha
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated melting cheese, such as mozzarella, jack, cheddar, pepper jack or a combination of any, divided
Directions:
Mix everything together including half of the cheese and spoon into baking dish. Sprinkle on remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
Bake in a preheated 350 F oven until the sides are bubbling and the cheese has turned golden brown on top, 20 to 30 minutes. If cheese is not golden, place baking dish on top rack of oven and turn oven to broil. Watch carefully so cheese does not burn.