Baked Pasta with Spinach, Lemon, and Cheese

Baked Pasta with Spinach, Lemon, and Cheese

Casarecce pasta is a short noodle with a curled edge that provides a large groove to hold the creamy sauce. If you can't find it, use fusilli, campanelle, or radiatore. Use a large, deep pot for the pasta so the spinach will fit inside, as well.

Ingredients :

• 10 ounce casarecce pasta or fusilli (short twisted spaghetti)

• 1 (5-ounce) package fresh baby spinach 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 4 cups chopped onion 

• 1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup) 

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk 

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

• 3/4 teaspoon salt 

• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind 

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Cooking spray 3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided 

Preparation :

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 minutes or until almost al dente, omitting salt and fat. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Let stand for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain pasta mixture well.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk and wine; cook 8 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and rind. Remove from heat; stir in pepper. Add pasta mixture to onion mixture, and toss gently to coat.

4. Spoon the pasta mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle half of panko breadcrumbs over pasta, and top evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Sprinkle the remaining half of panko breadcrumbs over cheese. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.