Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Servings: 4 people
- 12 ounces (320 grams) pasta
- 12 ounces (320 grams) vine tomatoes 3 medium-sized
- ½ cup (125 grams) ricotta
- ½ cup (50 grams) parmesan
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) olive oil
- ⅔ cup (25 grams) basil fresh leaves
- 3 tablespoons (30 grams) pine nuts sub cashews, macadamia, walnuts, or almonds
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) salt + black pepper to taste
- 4 cups (4 big handfuls) spinach
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- ½ cup (50 grams) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 1 grating of lemon zest
- To a food processor, add 12 ounces vine tomatoes, ½ cup ricotta, ½ cup parmesan, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ⅔ cup basil, 3 tablespoons pine nuts, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 2 twists black pepper.Blend for a couple of minutes or until creamy, scraping down the sides if necessary. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Cook 12 ounces pasta al dente in a large pot of salted boiling water.In a skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil, and add 2 cloves garlic,½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 4 cups spinach.Cook for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt then discard garlic.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the spinach. Turn the heat off, pour in the sauce, then add ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped).Stir well until the sauce covers the pasta. Serve immediately with an optional 1 grating of lemon zest for freshness.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Pine nuts: substitute macadamia, cashew, walnuts, and almonds best if peeled from the brown membrane.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: you can substitute dry packed sun-dried tomatoes. Re-hydrate them by soaking them in hot water for 10 minutes before use. Note that they are not as flavorful and tender as oil-packed.
- Whole milk ricotta: to make the recipe dairy-free substitute non-dairy ricotta or cream cheese.
- Parmesan: to make the recipe dairy-free, substitute a non-dairy parmesan or add 1/4 cup of extra nuts and 2 - 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast.
- Spinach: substitute kale.
- Fresh basil: substitute dried oregano.
