SRC: Cheesy Spinach Farfalle

It's hard for me to believe that this is already my third month participating in the Secret Recipe Club. Time sure does fly when you're busy.

This month I was given Enriching Your Kid, a blog written by a Clinical Psychologist turned homemaker after having kids. She says her goal is to prepare food that is nourishing as well as enticing for kids. She actually had my blog for the first month of the SRC and made my corn fritters.

A lot of the recipes on her blog are for Indian food, which I love but rarely make at home. I wanted to find something that didn't require specialty ingredients since we are on a budget, so I finally settled on Cheesy Spinach Farfalle, which is right up my family's alley.


I made a few modifications but overall kept the recipe the same. I subbed a can of diced tomatoes for fresh tomato because tomatoes aren't in season (plus I hate loose tomato skin on cooked tomatoes). Since she didn't specify a type of grated cheese I thought mozzarella would be nice. I also upped the amount of pasta to a full pound since this needed to feed us for dinner, lunches and a little leftover for Baby Girl and also upped the spinach, garlic and cheese. I only had one small onion but I found a leek in the fridge that needed to be used, so I combined the two. I also added in white wine for some extra flavor since I thought pasta water alone wouldn't be enough to make a flavorful sauce. To thicken the sauce I opted for cornstarch mixed with cold water, which resulted in a silky-smooth sauce without worrying about lumps.

Make sure to taste as you go and add salt and pepper as needed. I absolutely loved this, but then again I pretty much love any pasta dish with tomatoes and spinach. It's an easy meal to put together on a weeknight, which is another plus in my book, along with being vegetarian and healthy. Score!

Cheesy Spinach Farfalle
Modified from Enriching Your Kid

1 lb farfalle
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup white wine
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook the farfalle according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan. Add the onions and minced garlic, cooking until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the wine and allow to reduce slightly. Add the tomatoes with the juice and the chopped spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste and the Italian seasoning. Allow the spinach to wilt.

Combine cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Slowly add to the pan, stirring to combine. Add the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle in grated cheese and allow to melt into the sauce. Add the pasta, mix well and season with salt and pepper. Top with more shredded cheese if you like and serve hot.