MAC & CHEESE; GREEK STYLE WITH SPINACH AND FETA
Yield:
6
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked pasta (orecchiette, elbows, orzo..)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 5 cups milk plus 2 cups pasta water
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves or 1 pound frozen spinach leaves, thawed)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- freshly ground white pepper
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Boil the pasta until al dente in salted water and drain.
- In another pot, heat the olive oil and minced garlic over medium heat for a few seconds, just until aromatic.
- Add flour and whisk it well. Cook it for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the milk, 2 cups of the pasta water and the seasonings. Cook until slightly thickened. Add chopped spinach and pasta.
- Bring to a boil and thin out the sauce with some more water or milk if necessary.
- Mix well and taste it to see if it needs more salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and feta on top and some dried oregano. Mix well and serve immediately.
- Enjoy 🙂
Notes
Make the sauce as the pasta is cooking or before. The pasta should not sit in the strainer after it drains. It should go directly in the sauce. This will prevent the pasta from becoming one big massive clump of orzo. Also, the pasta will cook and absorb flavor from the sauce for a couple of minutes and will become delicious 🙂
I made this 1/15/21 . It’s excellent . I made it a few hours beforehand and put it in a greased ceramic baking dish. I baked it in 375F oven 20 min. to brown and reheat, The addition of veggies makes it a much healthier dish.