Baked Spinach-Artichoke Pasta
Serves 4-6
This is both light and rich; baked in individual ovenproof dishes, it's elegant enough for a dinner party.
Ingredients #
- Kosher salt
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach, or frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
- 4 ounces grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)
- Black pepper
- 4 ounces grated mozzarella (about 1 cup)
Instructions #
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Turn down to medium-high, and cook the pasta according to package instructions until 2 minutes short of al dente (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and reserve.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach little by little until wilted, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped artichokes.
Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the Parmesan until melted. Remove from the heat then carefully stir in the cooked pasta, or transfer to a large bowl to mix together, if necessary. The liquid might appear wet and loose, but it will thicken up as it bakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the pasta to a 2-quart casserole dish or individual casseroles or ramekins. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake until bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Broil until browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes, if desired. Let cool slightly before serving.