Spinach Artichoke Pasta (Pioneer Woman Cooks)

By Talk2usoon

"I love spinach artichoke dip. I’ve loved it for over half my life. And I’ll love it till the day I croak or become allergic to artichokes. Whichever comes first." Ree- author of Pioneer Woman Cooks

I posted my Spinach Artichoke Dip here over the (long, hot, thank goodness it’s over) summer, and it’s tremendously terrific. But a couple of weeks ago I decided to take a walk on the wild side and make a pasta version.

And then I died from bliss.

Ingredients

• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 bags baby spinach
• 2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• Salt And pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
• 1-1/2 cup mozzarella or Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
• 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (less or more)
• 12 ounces, weight Penne, cooked until al dente
• 1/2 cups Seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
• Crushed red pepper, to taste

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from thepioneerwoman.com

Preparation

Step 1

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or skillet. Add garlic and throw in the spinach. Stir it around until it’s wilted, about 1 minute. Remove spinach from heat and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons butter to the same pot and raise the heat to high. Throw in the halved artichokes and stir it around until they get a little color, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the artichokes from the pot and set them aside.

Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pot. When melted, sprinkle in flour and whisk until it’s combined. Pour in milk and whisk to combine.

Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until starting to thicken. Add Parmesan, Mozzarella/Monterey Jack, salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir to melt, and if it’s overly thick, splash in chicken broth.

Add artichokes and pasta, tossing gently to combine. Gently fold in spinach, then pour the pasta into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the top with crushed red pepper flakes and plenty of Panko breadcrumbs for crunch.

Serve immediately!