Dinner today was rather tasty so I thought I’d share the recipe! This one comes from the Rachael Ray Magazine website and is a 30 minute meal. There’s a chance it actually took me 20! I’ve made a few changes to it – most importantly I cut it in half, so if you want the original you can find it here.
Makes 3 Servings
Ingredients:
- Salt
- 1 cereal bowl full of mini shell pasta (somehow we figured out that when cooking for the two of us, if we measure the dry pasta in our Fiesta cereal bowls that plenty for us plus some leftovers)
- Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 leek—trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise and rinsed in cold water
- 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 oz cream cheese, cut into pieces
- 1 cups shredded asiago, grana padano or parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
Directions:
-
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.
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While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water, most of the shredded cheese and stir until melted together.
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Add the pasta and spinach to the sauce and toss until the spinach is wilted.
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Optional: Pile into a casserole and top with the tomatoes and remaining shredded cheese. Bake until browned on top, 7 to 8 minutes.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!! If you try it, let me know how it went!
Until the next time …
The girl behind the lama
~LMM
