Spicy Baked Penne

This recipe is adapted from one of Giada De Laurentiis' cookbooks.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup uncooked penne - cook per package instructions

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onions

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped spinach

Seasonings to taste - salt, pepper, red chilli pwd/flakes, pinch of sugar, pinch of nutmeg, any Italian seasoning blend, basil, oregano, parsley

2 tbsp bread crumbs

2 tbsp shredded mozarella cheese

2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

a little butter

To prepare the sauce, heat the oil and saute the onions until softened. Add the garlic and stir 2 mins. Add the tomatoes and cook another few minutes until they soften slightly. Add the chopped spinach and the desired seasonings. Stir well and cook till spinach wilts.

Add the cooked pasta to this sauce while it is hot.

If you are in a hurry, like on a busy weeknight, this can be served as is, topped with some shredded cheese.

If you have more time on hand or want to make it extra special, tip the pasta with the sauce into a lightly buttered casserole. Top with a mix of the bread crumbs and cheeses. Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 15 to 20 mins. until cheeses start bubbling and bread crumbs brown lightly.

Serve warm. Leftovers can be easily re-heated in the microwave and enjoyed. 

This Spicy Baked Penne goes to Ruth's Presto Pasta Night # 192.

Any kind of pasta dish usually goes down well with my daughter. For this reason, I keep the heat level fairly low in this dish. This makes it an ideal entry for the Kids Delight Holiday Special event at Spicing Your Life.