Spinach & Basil Pasta with Peas

Name: Spinach & Basil Pasta with Peas
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 180 g Spaghetti; 150 g Baby spinach; 20 g Fresh basil; 100 g Frozen peas; 80 g Vegetarian queso fresco; 100 ml Whole milk; 80 g Onion; 2 cloves Garlic; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 2000 ml Water; 0.5 tsp Salt; 0.25 tsp Black pepper

A smooth spinach, basil and fresh-cheese sauce coats long pasta strands, with sweet peas folded through.

45 minutes · Easy · 2 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Spaghetti180 g
Baby spinach150 g
Fresh basil20 g
Frozen peas100 g
Vegetarian queso fresco80 g
Whole milk100 ml
Onion80 g
Garlic2 cloves
Olive oil1 tbsp
Water2000 ml
Salt0.5 tsp
Black pepper0.25 tsp

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Wheat and milk. Check pasta for egg and other allergens.

Method

Prepare the green sauce base

Wash the spinach and basil. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Soften the onion for 6 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then add spinach and stir for 2 minutes until wilted. Take off the heat and cool for 3 minutes.

Blend until smooth

Blend the cooked spinach mixture with the basil leaves, milk, crumbled queso fresco, 0.25 tsp salt and black pepper. Use a blender suitable for warm liquids, venting its lid safely; do not seal warm ingredients in a personal blender. Set the sauce aside.

Cook pasta and peas

Bring the measured 2 litres water to a boil in a saucepan and add the remaining 0.25 tsp salt. Add the pasta and cook for the packet time, adding the frozen peas for the final 3 minutes. Before draining, reserve 150 ml of the cooking water.

Coat gently

Return the green sauce to the frying pan and warm over low heat for 2 minutes. Add the drained pasta and peas. Toss for 1–2 minutes, adding reserved pasta water a spoonful at a time only as needed for a coating sauce. Do not boil hard, which can dull the herbs and separate the cheese.

Serve the green strands

Divide between two bowls and serve immediately, without additional toppings. The sauce should cling to the strands rather than pool thickly beneath them.

Use pasteurized queso fresco made with vegetarian rennet. Buy spaghetti separately and follow its packet cooking time; a thinner pasta is not treated as an exact shopping match.

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