Pasta is arguably the most popular Italian dish across the world. In this recipe we blend both Pasta and Spinach to get a new savoury flavour. If you struggle to make your kids consume spinach in regular dishes, this pasta can get your kids to eat spinach due to the juicy pasta and its seasoning. The process is short and easy. You can also bake your pasta for a crunchy texture(optional).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup- Bowties Pasta (you can take any shape whichever u like)
• 2 cups- Baby Spinach (washed)
• 1½  tea spoon- Corn flour/ all purpose flour/ whole wheat flour
• 6,8- Garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 table spoon- Butter
• 1 table spoon- Olive Oil
• 1 cup- Milk
• ½ cup- Mozzarella cheese (Grated)
• Italian herbs/ Oregano
• Black pepper
• Red chilli flakes
• Salt (as per taste)

Method :

• Take a pan, bring plenty of water to boil. Add spinach and boil for another 2 minutes, now take out the spinach with a help of strainer in a grinding pot. Grind the boiled spinach into a paste and keep it aside.
• Now add salt and 2 teaspoons of oil to the same water that was used for boiling the spinach. Then slowly add the pasta and boil till the pasta becomes soft (but intact without getting broken). Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together. After it is boiled, drain it in a strainer and pour cold water on it (This is done to prevent it from getting over boiled further). And keep the boiled pasta aside.
• Take the remaining oil and Butter together in a pan and heat. Once heated, add chopped Garlic and sauté for a few minutes then add corn flour and stir it continuously. Sauté till it changes colour slightly. Then add spinach paste and cook for 1 minute and add grated cheese, salt, black pepper powder, Italian herbs and chilli flakes as per taste and mix well. Then add milk gently and stir continuously with a whisk to prevent formation of lumps. Bring it to boil, reduce the flame, cook for another few minutes, till it thickens slightly (If it is too thick, you can add the water reserved while cooking pasta and heat again). Your spinach sauce is ready.
• Add boiled pasta in spinach sauce and mix gently. Cover the pan for 3 to 5 minutes on low flame (this way pasta will absorb the flavours). Garnish your pasta with grated cheese and serve hot.
• You can also bake your pasta if you like. Check my White Sauce Pasta recipe for instructions on baking of pasta.

This is was my first experiment with the Italian cuisine and fortunately it was a grand success. Everyone liked it and I was so encouraged by the appreciation that I chose it make my first recipe for my blog. Making this dish is easy and it involves following four steps:

1 Cooking the pasta
2 Cooking the vegetables
3 Preparing the white sauce
4 Mixing all the above

Step 1-Ingredients:
Fusilli Pasta – 125 grams (u can take any shape whichever u like)
Oil – 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Cooking Method: Take a pan, bring plenty of water to boil, add salt and oil. Then slowly add the pasta and boil till the pasta becomes soft (but intact without getting broken). Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together. After it is boiled, drain it in a strainer and pour cold water on it. This is done to prevent it from getting over boiled further.

Step 2-Ingredients:
Oil – 1 tbsp
Chopped green capsicum – 1/2 bowl
Chopped onion – 1/2 bowl
Chopped tomato- 1/2 bowl
Black Pepper powder as per taste
Salt as required
Oregano -3/4 tsp or as per taste
Cooking Method: Heat oil in a pan, add onion and sauté for a few minutes then add capsicum and tomato. Cook uncovered till done. Do not overcook the vegetables. The vegetables should retain their crunchiness. Add salt, black pepper and oregano. Your Vegetable portion is done, keep it aside.

Step 3-Ingredients:
Butter – 11/2 tbsp – 2 tbsp
Corn flour – 2 tbsp ( if you do not have corn flour, use maida/ all purpose flour)
Milk – 1 1/2 cup (boiled and cooled)
Grated Cheese – 3-4 tbsp (use mozzarella or parmesan or even Amul cheese cubes)
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder as per taste
Oregano
Preparing Method: In a pan, melt butter and add corn flour stir it continuously. Sauté till it changes colour slightly. Then add ½ cup milk gently and stir continuously with a whisk to prevent formation of lumps. When it starts thickening, add the remaining milk gradually stirring continuously with the whisk. Bring it to boil, reduce the flame, and add grated cheese, salt, black pepper powder and oregano as per taste. Cook for another few minutes, till it thickens slightly and remove from flame. (If it is too thick, you can add the water reserved while cooking pasta and heat again).This sauce will thicken as it cools, so mix it in between or a layer will form on the top.

Step 4-Ingredients:
Grated cheese for garnishing
Method: Mix all the three together. Transfer to a greased baking pan, top it with grated cheese and bake in a preheated (180 degree C) for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has slightly browned. If you do not have an oven, mix all the three in a pan, heat it, top it with grated cheese and serve hot.

Please leave your comments/suggestions/feedback in the comment section below.