Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

• For Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
• 400 g penne pasta
• Salt, for boiling pasta
• For the Sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 7 to 8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• 7 to 8 frozen spinach cubes or blanched or thawed spinach
• 1/2 cup frozen corn or boiled corn
• 3/4 cup strained yogurt, Greek-style yogurt, or quark
• 1 to 1.5 teaspoons onion powder
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Pasta cooking water, reserved (about 2 cups)
• Salt, to taste
• Chili oil, to taste
• Serving
• Gouda or any cheese of choice, for topping
• Garlic bread or any bread of your choice
• NOTE: Some ingredients can be replaced with their vegan counterparts.

Instructions

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   --- For making Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta ---

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   1. Add boiling water to a large pot or bring water to a rolling boil. Add salt generously and stir well.

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   2. Then add penne pasta and cook until al dente or according to package instructions.

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   3. To check doneness, slice a piece of pasta with a knife. If it is tender but still firm to the bite, with no hard center it means it is perfectly cooked.

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   4. Reserve about 2 cups of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.

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   5. While the pasta cooks, prepare the ingredients. Slice the red chili, grate the ginger, peel and finely chop the garlic, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes.

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   6. Heat a wide pan over medium heat. Add olive oil.

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   7. Add the sliced red chili and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the grated ginger and chopped garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

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   8. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook until they soften and release their oil.

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    9. Add the spinach and corn. You may use frozen, blanched, or thawed spinach, and frozen or boiled corn.

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    10. Cook until the vegetables are fully cooked and well combined.

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    11. Add the lemon zest and mix well.

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    12. Then add dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and onion powder, and mix well to combine. Pour in about 1.5 cups of the reserved pasta water.

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    13. Mix well and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes.

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    14. Lower the heat and add the strained yogurt or quark.

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    15. Stir continuously and cook until the raw dairy smell disappears and the sauce becomes creamy.

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    16. Add this sauce to the pot with the cooked pasta, along with lemon juice, and mix until evenly coated.

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    16. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and drizzle in chili oil. Cook for 1 minute.

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    17. Your Creamy Spinach Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Corn is ready.

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    18. Transfer to a serving dish. Top with Gouda or any cheese of choice and drizzle with more chili oil before serving. Enjoy!

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    NOTE: Watch the recipe video to learn how to perform these cooking steps.

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    --- ENJOY THIS RECIPE ---

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    ENJOY THIS RECIPE.