Artichoke and Spinach Pasta Bake

I am a fan of one pot pastas for easy, delicious weeknight meals, from pumpkin and goat cheese to coconut carrot curry or shrimp and chorizo. And I am branching out into one pot baked pastas now. A host of flavors simply put in a dish and baked in the oven. This version is like a spinach artichoke dip for dinner. Creamy Boursin cheese adds flavor without effort while simple jarred artichoke hearts and fresh spinach add dimension. And seriously, just put it in a baking dish and slide it in the oven. 

Two rounds of Boursin cheese are the centerpiece here, packed with garlic and herbs already. Use artichoke hearts packed in brine or water, not marinated in oil which would make the dish greasy. I like to grate a block of fontina cheese for the creamy, slightly nutty flavor it adds, but you could use Swiss or Havarti. Fresh spinach wilts beautifully and stays green and bright – don’t use frozen, even squeezed out it will make your sauce watery. I simply tear the baby leaves by hand before dropping them into the dish so they are more fork friendly, but you can chop with a knife. A little sprinkle of parmesan cheese adds a punch of flavor and the zing of lemon juice brightens every thing up. I love little cup-shaped orecchiette pasta, but penne or corkscrews will work just as well. Test a piece of pasta from the center of the dish to see that it is cooked to your liking – it may take a bit longer than 40 minutes. And when you first check it in the oven, the sauce may look way to liquid, but when you add the spinach, remaining cheese and stir, let it sit for a few minutes and it will all come together. I love to serve some crusty bread with this to mop up some sauce.