I was flipping through a BBC GoodFood magazine while doing my weekly grocery shopping—something I do every three days, or so it seems—when my eye caught a pasta recipe that included spinach and walnuts. Bingo!

Those magazines cost E9,25 here! That’s a whopping $11,85. Absolutely crazy! Left the magazine at the store (seriously, it didn’t even include oven temperatures and their baking time was way off), and just incorporated those two ingredients into my recipe.

Turned out absolutely delicious. Kiddo devoured it even though he’s not crazy about spinach at all. Wonderful and flavourful spin on the more traditional mac and cheese.

 
Ingredients:

1 pound penne rigate
2 large leeks
4 oz spinach
1/2 small onion
1 garlic clove
3 oz butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour (slightly heaping)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
5oz sharp cheddar
2 oz Gouda cheese (or another cheese of choice)
2/3 tsp salt
2 + 1/4 cups milk
3 oz walnuts

 
Directions:

Mince the onion, chop the garlic and grate the cheese.

 
You can use all cheddar as well. Or mix cheddar with a more flavourful cheese like Gruyère. I opted for an aged Gouda. Don’t I always?
 

Heat the butter and sauté the onion over low heat for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and give it another minute.

In with the flour and stir well. Give the roux a minute to neutralise the rawness of the flour.

Add the mustard powder, white pepper and 1 cup of milk. Whisk well. As soon as it thickens add another cup of milk. I added an extra 1/4 cup.

 
Let the sauce simmer for a minute or two.
 

Melt 2/3 of the grated cheese into the sauce.

Finish the sauce with salt and nutmeg. I grind my own nutmeg so it’s very potent, adjust to your own liking.

You can steam, blanche or even stir-fry your spinach. I choose to steam it in my colander over the boiling pasta water. Can’t do this with a plastic colander, obviously.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add plenty salt and chop the leeks. Boil the leeks and pasta for 11 minutes.

 
Whatever you do, do not undersalt the pasta water!
 

Drain the pasta but don’t get rid of the cooking liquid. Place the pot back on the stove and bring it to a boil again.

Place the colander over the pot of boiling water. The spinach will wilt in two minutes or so, use tongs to toss it a little.

Transfer the pasta to a large baking dish (9×13) and spoon the cheese sauce all over.

Mix it in with the pasta until every piece of pasta has some of the sauce on it.

 
You want a bite, don’t you? Oh come on, admit it!
 

Mix in the wilted spinach.

Chop the walnuts. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 grated cheese over the pasta and finish it with the chopped walnuts.

 
Bake the pasta in a preheated oven at 175°C (350°F) for 25 to 30 minutes. Until golden brown and bubbly warm.
 

I served a nice, juicy grilled steak with it. It was perfect!

Autumn Pasta Bake
Ingredients	1 pound penne rigate 2 large leeks 4 oz spinach 1/2 small onion 1 garlic clove 3 oz butter 4 tbsp all-purpose flour (slightly heaping) 1/4 to 1/2 tsp white pepper 1/2 tsp mustard powder 1/4 tsp nutmeg 5oz sharp cheddar 2 oz Gouda cheese (or another cheese of choice) 2/3 tsp salt 2 + 1/4 cups milk 3 oz walnuts
Directions	Mince the onion, chop the garlic and grate the cheese. Heat the butter and sauté the onion over low heat for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and give it another minute. Add the flour and stir well. Give the roux a minute to neutralise the rawness of the flour. Add the mustard powder, white pepper and 1 cup of milk. Whisk well. As soon as it thickens add another cup of milk. I added an extra 1/4 cup. Let the sauce simmer for a minute or two and melt 2/3 of the grated cheese in there. Finish the sauce with salt and nutmeg. I grind my own nutmeg so it’s very potent, adjust to your own liking. You can steam, blanche or even stir-fry your spinach. I choose to steam it in my colander over the boiling pasta water. Can’t do this with a plastic colander. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add plenty salt and chop the leeks. Boil the leeks and pasta for 11 minutes. Drain the pasta but don’t get rid of the cooking liquid. Place the pot back on the stove and bring it to a boil again. Place the colander over the pot of boiling water. The spinach will wilt in two minutes or so, use tongs to toss it a little. Transfer the pasta to a large baking dish (9×13) and mix it with the cheese sauce and spinach Chop the walnuts. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 grated cheese over the pasta and finish it with the chopped walnuts. Bake the pasta in a preheated oven at 175°C (350°F) for 25 to 30 minutes. Until golden brown and bubbly warm.
Meal type:	Main Course, Side Dish, Vegetarian
Servings:	4 to 6
Copyright:	© kayotickitchen.com