Pasta is the perfect comfort food. For most of my life I was a vegetarian except as a young child, a short stint while living in New York. Shortly after moving to Truckee, I dated a hunter and one Thanksgiving he showed up with venison and goose. Since then, I’ve adapted a balanced program of eating that includes being vegetable forward and enjoying clean proteins.
This pasta dish goes back to my ashram roots where I was one of the vegetarian chefs. I cooked Sunday dinner for hundreds of residents and guests. I love this winter pasta dish.
Baked White and Green Pasta
From the kitchen of Priya Hutner · Serves 4-6
1½ boxes ziti, penne or rigatoni
1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
2 C sautéed fresh spinach
1 T olive oil
2 T butter1 C heavy cream or half and half (can substitute Greek yogurt or unsweetened non-dairy milk)
1 small container ricotta cheese
8 oz. soft goat cheese or cream cheese
1 C of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1½ C mozzarella cheese, shredded (reserve ½ cup to top pasta)
2 t garlic powder
2 t salt
1 t course ground pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta al dente (a little less time according to directions on box). Rinse and place pasta in a large bowl, add butter to warm pasta and drizzle with olive oil, set aside.
In separate bowl mix cheese, broccoli, spinach, cream and spices together. Pour over pasta be mindful to gently mix without breaking the noodles.
Place pasta into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and cover with foil. Bake covered for 35 to 45 minutes.
Uncover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown and longer if you like crispy noodles on the top layer.
Serve with garlic bread.
