by Carlo Rossini

Created on: December 02, 2008   Last Updated: April 27, 2011

Oven baked pasta with a tomato and spinach sauce is a firm family favourite in our household. It combines fresh spinach with a rich passata based sauce. It is very simple to prepare, and best of all, it can be ready in less than an hour.

To create this dish for four persons, you will need the below ingredients, and then to follow my simple "fool proof" guide.

The ingredients are:

tbsp olive oil,

salt and pepper for seasoning

2-3 tsp salt to add to pasta water in pan

A jar of Passata sauce 500g (alternatively chopped tomatoes can be used)

tsp tomato concentrate

A clove of garlic finely chopped,

half a white onion finely chopped,

A bay leaf or two,

tsp dried oregano

packet of conchiglie pasta (pasta shell shapes)

500g of fresh spinach

A ball of mozzarella cheese (optional)

The things you will need to do:

-Gently heat the olive oil in a pan, add the garlic and the onion, and cook for a few minutes very gently to soften.

-Add the tomato concentrate, stir-in, an cook for a few minutes.

-Add the Passata, the bay leaf, and the oregano. season to taste.

-Cook this sauce gently for around 20 minutes (or longer for a richer tomato taste).

-Bring a pan of water to the boil, add some salt and bring to a rolling boil.

-Add the conchiglie pasta, and cook for around 6-8 minutes then taste for firmness.

-Drain immediately, and stand to one side in colander.

-Add the spinach to the cooked tomato sauce. Stir in well.

-Next add the pasta to a casserole dish, tear the mozzarella ball over the pasta.

-Next add the tomoto sauce pouring over the pasta.

-Place into a pre-heated oven gas mark 5 (or 200c) and cook for 15-20 minutes.

-Serve and Enjoy!

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