After a long (but fun) Friday, I was looking forward to a relaxing evening that included comfort food. Creamy pasta dishes top my comfort food list, so I cranked up the air conditioning and made a luscious, easy pasta.
What makes this recipe great is how decadent, creamy and fast to prepare it is. Also, it is actually healthy because it's made with Greek yogurt and a bit of goat cheese. In case you haven't seen it before, Mafalda is a pasta shape not unlike a very skinny piece of lasagna.
This pasta is perfect with a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. (I had Chardonnay)
Mafalda with Goat Cheese Baby Spinach Cream Sauce:
(serves 2-4, depending on portion size)
1/2 lb dried mafalda pasta
1/2 c Greek yogurt
4 tbs goat cheese
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese, as needed
4 c baby spinach leaves
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs fresh chopped parsley
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper as needed
Fresh ground nutmeg and crushed red chili flakes, to taste (I used both)
Directions:
Boil pasta until al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, saute garlic in olive oil, add spinach, wilt over fairly high heat, salt and pepper, cook until spinach is wilted and liquid is gone from pan. Add pasta, then pasta cooking water. Simmer. Add Greek yogurt, goat cheese and toss. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add parsley, toss final time. Serve, topping with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
13 comments:
This sounds delicious. Where can I find mafalda in the Phoenix area?
Kirsten, I wish I could say it's almost lunchtime, so you're making me hungry. Nope. It's around midnight. I'm starving. This is one of the pitfalls of writing and reading food blogs that no one ever warns you about. Dang.
Hi Silverbear - I have been SOOO impressed with the dried pasta selection at Sprouts lately. I'm not sure there is one by where you guys live, but if you can stock up, it's worth it. It has been SO fun to try new pasta shapes!
Terry - I DO understand. This food blogging almost has to be relegated to "eating" hours in order to be safe. :)
Sprouts -- that works. There are two stores within five miles of my house. Thanks for the tip.
Sounds great, as do all the recent posts you've done! (I am trying to backtrack and catch up...) Yum!
Okay, why did you not stay and make this over at my house?!? It looks delicious. I thought about making a yummy pasta dish for dinner, but then got caught up doing monotonous tasks and before I knew it it was late and I was exhausted. So, I ate a Lean Cuisine instead. Man, I missed out! This looks perfect, light and soothing. And the leftovers will undoubtedly be just as delicious as the original.
I have seen several recipes lately calling for Greek yogurt, and I can't say that I have ever seen it. Would it be OK to use Stoneyfields organic plain in it's place?
I can usually find Greek yogurt at Trader Joe's.
Looks delicious :)
I've not heard of mafalda, I'm learning something new!
Thanks Chris! Glad to see you back from your trip!!
Kelley - I know! I should have made you come home with me so I could make us both dinner. It was sooo yummy. Thanks for everything Friday - I had such a good time! :)
Hi FarmgirlCyn, if you don't have access to a Trader Joe's like Silverbear referenced, you can check an ethnic market or specialty market. Or, if all else fails, drain regular yogurt over a bowl with cheesecloth. Greek yogurt is MUCH thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, so you need to drain the yogurt quite a bit to get it right - but it will work!
Hi Kelly-Jane - I hadn't had mafalda before either, but I loved the shape and texture. I adore new pasta shapes. :)
Hi! Kristen
It´s incredible but I didn´t know that a pasta with my name really exist, and I can assure that Mafalda isn´t an Italian name.
In my country that pasta it´s called "Talharim" but of course there´s an endless pasta names in every country around the world.
So I find it so nice that I´m gonna keep it, make it and eat it too.
And by the way i love your blog, I take a peep almost every day.
From Mafalda in Portugal (Europe) goes a big hug.
You're right! Sprouts has had an amazing array of pastas lately. It's been fun trying new kinds. I'm so impressed with your ability to basically come up with a recipe based on the ingredients you find in the grocery store on any given day. When will you have your own show on Food Network!?! ;)
In my view one and all should browse on this.
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