Pasta in Spinach sauce

Recipe by Cook's Hideout

I love adding nuts to my gravies, especially almonds and cashews. I think they totally transform a dish from plain & boring to creamy & delicious. For example, would you prefer to have “Pasta in Spinach sauce” (oh.. blah) or “Pasta in Creamy Spinach-Almond sauce” (oh.. yay.. yummy). I chose the second one and I have to tell you, I was licking every utensil that came in touch with that sauce, it was sooo good. Recipe is inspired from Indira’s Spinach-Basil pasta. Serve over pasta (you can mix the sauce with pasta, but I prefer serving them separate, as you...

Ingredients

• frozen peas (– chopped)
• 2 cups spinach (– chopped)
• 1 cup basil (– chopped)
• 1 cup almonds (– dry roasted)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tomatoes (– medium, chopped)
• 1 lb Whole wheat (. Penne)
• 2 cups Broccoli (– chopped into florets)
• 2 cups Chick peas
• frozen peas (– chopped)
• to taste Salt Pepper Red Pepper (, & Red flakes)

Method

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve pasta cooking water for later use.
2. Dry roast almonds in a skillet. Remove and keep aside.
3. Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a large skillet; add onions and garlic; sauté on medium flame until lightly browned around edges, about 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes; cover and cook till they turn into mush, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and basil; cook till wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper & red pepper flakes. Blend spinach mixture with the almonds into a smooth paste.
4. Heat 1tbsp olive oil in the same skillet, add onions and sauté till slightly browned. Add broccoli & chickpeas; cover and cook till tender. Add the spinach puree and ½-1 cup of pasta cooking water. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer till it reaches desired consistency.

View the recipe instructions at Cook's Hideout