Baked rigatoni with spinach pesto and ricotta
Looking for ways to get your five a day? This vegetable pasta bake recipe is one surefire way to help, with spinach blended with basil and parsley to make a fresh and verdant pesto, plus a hearty helping of peas.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Method
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200C and prepare a baking dish.
Step 2
Bring a large pan of salted water to a rolling boil and add the rigatoni. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Step 3
While the pasta cooks, use a food processor or hand blender to combine the spinach, olive oil, basil, lemon juice and approx. ⅔ of the ricotta. Blend until smooth, creamy but still viscous enough to pour.
Step 4
Drain the pasta and place back into its saucepan. Pour over the pesto, peas and sprinkle in the parsley. Season well with salt and pepper and mix well with a wooden spoon until all of the pasta is covered.
Step 5
Transfer to the baking dish, spread out evenly and spoon the remainder of the ricotta on top. Drizzle well with olive oil and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the pasta is crispy and the ricotta has started to brown.
Step 6
Set aside for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
