Baked Spinach & Artichoke Pasta
I absolutely love the spinach & artichoke combo (check out my Savory Spinach & Artichoke Bread Pudding! So Good!). I made this baked pasta dish today for Christmas Eve but of course made a small dish for myself so I can try it. Let me tell ya, this is delicious! I am always put in charge of the non fish dish for Christmas Eve and generally stick to a baked pasta dish because they aren't complicated and I have plenty of cooking for Christmas Day. I've done a butternut squash lasagna and a roasted veggie lasagna in the past, both delicious but I wanted to do something different this year. Seeing as I'm on a spinach & artichoke kick I figured why not make a baked pasta! This is made with a short pasta, sautéed garlic, shallots, spinach and artichoke and tossed with a simple béchamel sauce with mozzarella and grated pecorino romano. Rich and creamy, so yummy! Give this one a try soon, great for a crowd!
Instructions
- 1
Oven at 375 degrees.
- 2
Cook the pasta a couple minutes shy of al dente (according to pkg directions). Drain and put into a very large bowl, toss with a few drizzles of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- 3
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add enough oil to just coat the bottom. Add the shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened.
- 4
Add in the artichoke hearts and spinach a little at a time until the spinach is all wilted down. Season with salt and pepper.
- 5
Add the spinach and artichoke mix to the cooked pasta. Toss.
- 6
Bechamel is a simple basic sauce that can be used to create many different types of sauces. In a large pot, over medium low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and allow to cook a few minutes.
- 7
Add in the slightly warmed milk and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium. Cook until thickened enough to just coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- 8
Shut the heat and add in the mozzarella and pecorino romano cheese. Stir to combine.
- 9
Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir to combine. Pour the pasta into a large baking dish, sprinkle some more pecorino romano overtop and bake for approx 25-30 minutes, until bubbbly and lightly golden.