Looking for a quick and easy meal that’s packed with flavor? Look no further than this cheesy pasta bake with pine nuts, inspired by Ayeh Manfre, a popular Instagram chef known for her straightforward and tasty vegetarian dishes. Ayeh’s recipe features a perfect blend of mushrooms, onions, garlic, spinach, and feta cheese, all topped with toasted pine nuts for a satisfying crunch.
While feta cheese is the star ingredient, you can also use a similar-tasting salad cheese, although I highly recommend sticking with Ayeh’s original recommendation. The addition of toasted pine nuts truly elevates this dish, making each mouthful moreish.
Here’s what you’ll need:
* 400g short pasta (casarecce, penne, fusilli, cavatappi, or gemelli are all good choices)
* 500g mixed mushrooms
* One red onion
* Six garlic cloves
* 160g block of feta cheese
* Extra virgin olive oil
* One pinch of dried oregano
* 100g baby spinach
* Four sprigs of thyme
* Handful of toasted pine nuts
* Squeeze of lemon (optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Slice the mushrooms and onion and place them in an oven dish. Add the whole garlic cloves (in their skin) along with the fresh (or dried) thyme leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and mix well to coat.
2. Place the block of feta in the middle of the dish, surrounding it with the mushroom mixture. Ensure that all the garlic cloves are clearly visible.
3. Season the feta with oregano and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden brown and the feta has softened.
4. While the feta and mushroom bake, cook the pasta in salted, boiling water according to the package instructions.
5. Once the feta and mushroom are cooked, remove the skin from the garlic cloves and mash them in the oven dish using a fork. Mix the mashed garlic with the mushrooms and feta.
6. Stir in the spinach and cooked pasta, adding a good splash of pasta water for extra flavor and creaminess.
7. Just before serving, add the toasted pine nuts. Squeeze some lemon juice over the dish if desired.
For a meaty addition, you can also add chicken to this delicious meal. Enjoy!
