Spinach-and-Mushroom Baked Penne

Nothing says comfort food to me like a big bowl of pasta, red sauce, and lots and lots of cheese.  At the end of a long day at work, that's what I want to come home to (or find in my Tupperware at lunch, or graze on in the middle of the night, as the case may be).  Can you keep your Sophia Loren figure while indulging in an old-country carbohydrate feast?  I'd say yes.

Please, tell me more.

The key here is whole wheat pasta, a moderate amount of various cheeses, and a heavy load of delicious vegetables—spinach, mushrooms, onions.  Because of all the other flavors and the moistness of the sauce, the whole wheat pasta doesn't overwhelm the dish or make it overly dry.  So make sure not to skimp on the greenery!  As my grandmother would say, "A little bit of veg never hurt anybody."

You'll need:

16 oz. uncooked whole wheat penne pasta

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms

7 cups baby spinach

2 1/2 cups tomato sauce (I used Barilla Tomato and Basil, but freshly made would be delicious)

1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta.  Cook until just al dente, according to package directions, which should take about 7-8 minutes.  Drain and place in a large bowl.

While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a small skillet.  Add garlic and onions and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until the onions just begin to soften.  Add mushrooms and sauté until they turn a dark brown and begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add to pasta.

Add thoroughly washed spinach to the hot pasta mixture—the heat of the pasta will cause the spinach to wilt, providing just enough cooking.

Stir in tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese to the pasta mixture.

Pour the pasta mixture into a glass or Pyrex 13-by-9-inch baking dish.  Dollop the ricotta cheese along the top, then liberally sprinkle the whole thing with grated parmesan.

Loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (not too tightly, as you don't want the cheese to stick to the foil) and place in the oven for about 30 minutes.  Uncover the dish and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese on the top browns slightly.

Did you see the picture above?  Did you notice the stringy, cheesy goodness?  How can you resist?  If you need further incentive, it makes about ten servings, so you don't have to worry about cooking for, say, a whole week.

Happy eating!