Cheesy Spinach Pasta

It might be all the rain and dark days, but I was craving a comforting bowl of pasta. Step in this cheesy, spinach bowl of loveliness. Such a simple idea, but the added greens make you feel better for all the cheese and carbs. Not like cheese and carbs are ever an issue in my house, ha! Give me them all, always.

I feel this would be a great recipe for the kids too, you could call it dinosaur pasta or along those lines. I also think that blistered cherry tomatoes would be a dream with this. A little bit of acidity cutting through the creaminess. You could turn it into a pasta bake and add chopped chicken or bacon, the possibilities are endless really.

It’s a great time to harvest and grow spinach, especially with all this rain. Grow it in pots if you have no space, just pop it somewhere in the shade. It’s not a heat lover, but I find perpetual spinach doesn’t mind so much.

Cheesy Spinach Pasta

Serves: 2 (or 2 and a little one)

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15-20 mins

Total time: 25-30 mins

Ingredients

• 200g Fusilli Corti Col Buco pasta

• 240g organic spinach

• 1 veg stock cube

• 80g cheddar cheese

• 20g parmesan cheese

• 250ml milk (plus extra if needed)

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• 25g butter

• Salt, pepper, chilli flakes

Directions

1. Pop pasta on to boil with veg stock cube.

2. Whilst pasta is cooking, blitz spinach in a food processor until a sort of paste consistency. Set aside.

3. Grate cheese, set aside.

4. When pasta is nearly cooked to your liking, melt butter in a pan on a medium to low heat, add flour and whisk to create a roux. This should be like a paste, but it is just a thickener for your sauce.

5. Slowly add milk a little at a time, whisking constantly.

6. Add cheese and whisk until you have a sauce. Season to taste.

7. Drain pasta, mix in spinach, then add your cheese sauce, making sure everything is coated evenly.

8. Serve immediately with a grating of cheese and some salt, chilli and pepper.