Baked Penne with Spinach & Cheese

American Girl Cooking, p. 96

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the baking dish

Salt

¾ pound penne pasta

One 10-ounce container fresh baby spinach

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup sour cream

½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt

½ cup shredded mozzarella or grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Fill a large pot three-fourths full of water. Set the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta, stir well, and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente (tender but still firm at the center). Drain in a colander set in the sink, transfer the pasta to a bowl, and set aside. Return the colander to the sink.

Add the butter to a large frying pan. Set the pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the spinach in 2 or 3 batches, stirring until slightly wilted before adding the next batch. Stir in a pinch of salt and cook until the spinach is completely wilted. Drain the spinach in the colander and press down on it with a rubber spatula to remove as much liquid as possible. 

I drained it really well but didn't chop it. I had no idea how to go about chopping a blob.

Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and finely chop.

In a large bowl, stir the feta, sour cream, yogurt, and spinach until well combined. Add the pasta and stir until evenly coated. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spread into an even layer, and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top. 

It all came out in the wash anyway.

Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Serve right away.

Isn't that pleasant!

My Rating: 4/5 "Spinach makes me happy, especially when it's used as well as it is in this dish. It's not as cheesy as you're probably expecting, but the cheese that's there is really tasty. I used a whole grain penne to make this already health-conscious effort even more so!"