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Cheesy Spanakopita Pasta Bake

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30–35 minutes

Serves: 4–6

Ingredients

  • 1 block feta
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • Olive oil
  • 1 handful fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 handful fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 500g baby spinach
  • 500g rigatoni pasta
  • 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella
  • 4 heaped tbsp natural or Greek yoghurt

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
  2. Place the feta, spring onions, oregano and a generous drizzle of olive oil into a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the feta is soft and lightly golden and the spring onions have softened.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
  4. Remove the baking dish from the oven and gently mash the baked feta with a fork to create the base of the sauce.
  5. Add the cooked pasta, spinach, dill, mint, 1 handful of mozzarella and the yoghurt. Pour in the reserved pasta water a little at a time, stirring until the sauce becomes smooth and silky. The spinach will wilt as it's mixed through.
  6. Sprinkle over the remaining mozzarella and return to the oven for 8–10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden and bubbling.
  7. Serve immediately with extra dill, mint or cracked black pepper, if desired.

My tip: Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and an extra crumble of feta for a fresh, tangy finish.

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