10 mins
Ingredients for Cheesy Spinach and Penne Bake
Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
How to Cook Cheesy Spinach and Penne Bake
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the penne and cook according to the directions on the packet for al dente (usually just a few minutes). While the pasta is cooking, peel and thinly slice the garlic, drain the water from the mozzerella, grate (mince) half of it and cube the other half.
- Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the crushed fennel seeds and sliced garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the tomatoes, one sprig of fresh basil, one teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil then immediately reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavours have blended together to remove the raw tomato taste. Remove from the heat, discard the basil and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain the pasta when cooked and pour the sauce over, tossing the pasta well to coat. Either mist a 2-2½ quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, or use a small knob of butter to grease the bottom and sides. Add half the pasta and the cubed mozzarella to the baking dish.
- Place the cottage cheese in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan and pulse two or three times to blend well. Combine half the cottage cheese mixture with the spinach and mix to break up the spinach. Spread the spinach in spoonfuls over the pasta in the baking dish then top the spinach layer with the rest of the pasta and then the remaining cottage cheese mixture.
- Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (Mk 6 - 400ºF - 200ºC) for about 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes, and then scatter a handful of torn basil leaves over the top.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
Comfort meals are always there ready to give you a cuddle when you need it most. However, for a slimmer's version of this recipe, you can use whole wheat pasta, light mozzarella, low fat cottage cheese and the vegetarian alternative to Parmesan.
Reviews of Cheesy Spinach and Penne Bake
February 22 2015 I thought this dish was really good and tasty. I used a little more seasoning than the recipe suggests, otherwise I think it might have been a little bland. And I added a spoonful of sugar to the sauce so it wasn't so acidic from the tomatoes. There are a few steps to it but my family thought it was well worht it! They loved it! rachel (7 reviews) |
What To Eat Tonight
Not everybody is a carnivore. If you prefer vegetables, here's a selection that will give you a choice of some really stunning dishes.
Breakfast is, they say, the most important meal of the day, so choose your breakfast menu well from our great selection.
Indian food is now the most popular type of food takeaway in Britain. And not without reason because good Indian food is quite sublime.
Other Pasta Recipes
Sicilian-style Cauliflower with Wholemeal Pasta is a great summer dish either at lunch or on a fine summer evening.
Maaki ki Roti (Corn Roti) in Punjabi stands for Maize and roti is Indian flatbread. These are prevalent during the North Indian winters.
Lemon Sevai comes from the Tamil word 'Sevai' meaning Rice Vermicelli or rice noodles. This recipe is very easy to make and easy to digest.