Artichoke Spinach Sauce For Pasta Recipes

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE PASTA RECIPE

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water to desired doneness (I added 1/2 Tbsp salt for a soup pot half filled with water. Drain pasta and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water (DONT FORGET).
• In a large pot, melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Once hot, add spinach and stir until slightly wilted. The spinach wilts fast (about 1 minute) and I might have overdone it because I was snapping the picture rather than removing it right away. Notice how much it shrinks - wild eh?! Transfer wilted spinach to a colander and let it drain while preparing the rest of the recipe.
• Add 4 Tbsp butter to the same now empty pot along with 4 oz cream cheese cut into pieces, 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup parmesan and stir until everything melts together and starts to bubble.
• Stir in drained artichokes and cook an additional 1-2 min then add drained spinach, pressed garlic and jalapeños (if using). Cook until hot then toss in the cooked, drained pasta. Stir in reserved pasta water if desired (I added at least 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid - this makes the sauce a little lighter and creamier and helps to keep the pasta moist when it's reheated).

ARTICHOKE SPINACH SAUCE FOR PASTA

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until almost crisp.
• Drain off all but one tablespoon of the grease (leave bacon in the pan).
• Add garlic and cook for about a minute.
• Add olive oil, spinach, and artichoke hearts, sauteeing for a few minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in cream cheese and mayonnaise.
• When blended, stir in romano, parmesan, and mozzarella.
• Cook until all the cheeses are melted, stirring frequently.
• Season with salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste.
• Combine with cooked noodles and serve.