Healthy Spinach & Ricotta Pasta Sauce
Ingredients:
500 grams low fat ricotta
1 kilo frozen spinach
2 cloves of garlic – minced
½ cup of boiling water
1 tsp nutmeg – freshly grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 green chillies – minced (optional)
1 bag of Rotini pasta (shaped like a corkscrew)
5 to 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Method:
Place the garlic in the centre of a large 12-inch Pyrex dish and top up with the frozen spinach.
Microwave on high for 11 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 10 minutes. This will ensure that the spinach and garlic are cooked.
In the meantime, grate the nutmeg into a deep pan. Add the ricotta, green chillies (if using) and salt. Add the spinach mixture and blend to a smooth paste with a stick blender. Adjust the seasoning and consistency by adding the boiling water a little at a time.
Boil water in a large pan. Add the salt and the pasta. Cook till al dente and drain. Tip back into the pan and add the extra virgin olive oil. Mix thoroughly.
Serve the hot pasta topped with the sauce, some shaved parmesan and freshly ground pepper.
Serves 6 to 8.
Tips:
In order to have a bright green sauce, don’t cover the sauce till it cools down completely else it will discolour.
Divide the leftover sauce into some small zip lock sandwich bags and store flat in your freezer. Once frozen, you can store them like books in a bookshelf.
Cook a whole bag of pasta and freeze any leftovers for later. Just refresh in boiling water. It is a healthier option.
Fussy kids who don’t like vegetables will dig into this healthy low-fat meal with gusto.