Fusilli with Glorious Green Spinach Sauce

Look at this for a colourful dinner! I was trying to decide what to do with a tub of mascarpone that was speeding towards its use-by date when I came across this recipe that I'd pulled out of an edition of Good Food Magazine some years ago.

Now I've made it I don't why I waited so long as this is a lovely dish. I guess the sound of a green spinach sauce isn't particularly appetising but don't be put off.  There's enough mascarpone to make a really creamy sauce that isn't overpowered by the spinach (although if you really hate the stuff this may not be the dish for you) and the parmesan adds it's usual cheesy flavour.  It's surprisingly child-friendly too, considering the colour - I had one complete plate-clearance and one half finished which, for a new dish, is pretty good going!

And, of course, it's easy to make.  As you can see from the instructions below, it's just a two-step job with minimal chopping and faffing involved.

Fusilli with Glorious Green Spinach Sauce
(from BBC Good Food Magazine)

400g/14oz fusilli pasta
225g/8oz bag baby spinach
1 garlic clove
250g tub mascarpone
juice of 1/2 large lemon
30g/1oz grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
55g/2oz pine nuts, lightly toasted

1) Cook the pasta according to the instruction.  Meanwhile, put half the spinach in a food processor with the garlic, mascarpone, lemon juice and parmesan, then whizz to a smooth sauce.

2) Drain the pasta thoroughly and return to the pan over a low heat.  Stir in the sauce, pine nuts and remaining spinach, until the spinach has just wilted. Season and serve with extra parmesan.

Serves 4