Baked Pasta With Spinach Lemon Cheese Food

LEMON PASTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large deep sided skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, chili and bay leaf. Give a good stir for about a minute until the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
• In a large pot of boiling water, add spaghetti and cook to instructions on the pack. When cooked, remove and drain. Reserve about 1 cup/240 ml of pasta water.
• Increase heat to high, add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Allow it to reduce about 3 minutes. Pour in the cooking cream and stir well and bring back to a gentle simmer.
• Pour in the lemon juice and then the spaghetti. Give a really good stir around.
• Add in a cup/240 ml of pasta water, the butter, cheese, lemon zest, the fresh spinach, parsley, salt and pepper. and give a really good stir.
• Serve immediately. Can garnish with extra parmesan and parsley if desired.

LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, make the ricotta sauce.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Season with 1/4 tsp of salt and a good pinch of pepper.
• Stir until well combined, taste and make sure you're happy with the seasoning.
• In the last minute of the pasta's cooking time, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then and add spinach to the pot. Stir well and push the leaves down to submerge them in water.
• After 1 minute, drain and return pasta and spinach to the same pot.
• Add the ricotta sauce and part of the reserved cooking water. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed, you want a smooth and creamy texture.
• Serve immediately and garnish with grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon wedges if desired (for extra freshly squeezed juice, but I leave it optional). Plus, I love adding a good pinch of red pepper flakes, you might give it a go. Enjoy!

CHEESY SPINACH BAKED PENNE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mist a 2 to 2 1/2-quart rectangular or oval baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook according to package directions for al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a medium pot set over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and garlic and cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil sprig, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, lowering the heat if the sauce bubbles too vigorously, until the sauce has thickened slightly, the flavors have blended together and the raw tomato taste has cooked out, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the basil and season with additional salt and pepper. Pour over the cooked pasta and toss well to coat. Add the cubed mozzarella and transfer half the pasta to the prepared baking dish.
• Put the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan and pulse two to three times. Combine half the cottage cheese mixture with the spinach and mix to break up the spinach. Drop in spoonfuls over the pasta in the baking dish. Top the spinach layer with the rest of the pasta and then the remaining cottage cheese mixture.
• Bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes, and then scatter the torn basil over the top.

BAKED PASTA WITH SPINACH, LEMON AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 minutes or until almost al dente, omitting salt and fat.
• Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Let stand for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain pasta mixture well.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.
• Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk.
• Gradually add milk and wine; cook 8 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens, stirring constantly.
• Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese, salt and rind. Remove from heat; stir in pepper.
• Add pasta mixture, and toss gently to coat.
• Spoon pasta mixture into a 13x9 inch-glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle half of panko breadcrumbs over pasta, and top evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
• Sprinkle the remaining half of panko breadcrumbs over cheese.
• Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

LEMON PASTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic in butter until tender. Add the spinach, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper; cook 2-3 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted., Drain pasta. Add to skillet; toss to coat.