SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE PASTA BAKE

Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake image

Provided by Katie Lee Biegel

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

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One 10-ounce bag frozen spinach
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
1 pound rigatoni
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
One 4-ounce jar artichoke hearts packed in oil, drained and roughly chopped
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Steps:

Microwave the spinach according to the package instructions, then allow to cool slightly. Squeeze out the excess water with a kitchen towel and set aside.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water before draining.
In a large room-temperature saucepan, add the olive oil and garlic. Turn on the heat to medium and allow the garlic to cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, then add the spinach and artichokes and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add about 3/4 cup pasta water and the cream cheese and dried basil to the saucepan and allow the cream cheese to melt, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more of the pasta water if necessary to thin out the sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the grated Parmesan.
Add the rigatoni to the sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (if your pan is oven-safe, you can skip this step). Top with the shredded mozzarella. Broil on high until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.