Macarrão com espinafre e molho verde

Ingredientes

• 1 cup Pasta (Fusilli )
• 1 cup Spinach
• ½ cup Green peas (Divided)
• ½ Zucchini (Divided)
• ½ Onion
• 3 to 4 tbsp Cream cheese (I used herb flavored cream cheese)
• 1/2 cup Cooking cream (Refer notes)
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• ½ tsp Garlic powder
• ¼ tsp Dried Italian herb (Basil/ Oregano/ or Mixed Italian herbs )
• 1 tbsp Butter (Divided)
• Salt

Modo de preparo

1. 1

   --- Cook pasta ---

2. 2

   Take a large sauce pan/ cooking pot and pour 6 cups water to begin with.

3. 3

   Bring to boil (cover with lid to make it quick) and add pasta, along with salt as well as few drops of olive oil to it (optional).

4. 4

   Bring to boil and put the flame to medium. Refer the pasta package for cooking time. Mine was 10 mins, so I cooked until 10 mins and 'al dente' - not too firm as well as not too soft).

5. 5

   Drain from water (a colander helps) and reserve about a cup of water which will be handy later if needed.

6. 6

   I keep it covered until using in recipe.

7. 7

   --- Saute veggies ---

8. 8

   In a fry pan, add 1/2 the butter firstly. Then in medium heat, add onion, half the zuchhini and half the peas.

9. 9

   Saute for 2 minutes or until the onion turns translucent and zucchini also cooked just right.

10. 10

    After that, transfer this over the cooked pasta.

11. 11

    --- Prepare green sauce ---

12. 12

    Return the pan to heat again, then add remaining butter. Continue by adding remaining peas, zucchini and saute for another 2 minutes.

13. 13

    After that, add washed spinach and cook until all are wilted.

14. 14

    Then add cooking cream, cream cheese, dried herb, garlic powder.

15. 15

    Mix well and switch off the flame. Add lemon juice, mix well. Remove to cool down.

16. 16

    Once cooled, place in blender and grind smoothly with salt.

17. 17

    If too thick, you can add reserved pasta water.

18. 18

    Now, add the ground green sauce to the pasta and veggies in the pot.

19. 19

    Switch on the heat and stir well. To adjust the consistency of the sauce, add reserved pasta cooked water. Ground peas will make the sauce thicken and gives creamy texture.

20. 20

    Let the sauce bubble and all the pasta gets coated with sauce, gets hot.