BAKED PACCHERI WITH ASPARAGUS AND SPINACH

Wash the spring onions, peel them, and slice them thinly down to the green part, stopping only when you reach the toughest part. Wash the asparagus and peel them, removing the ends. If you have time, remove the skin from the stems with a vegetable peeler, leaving the entire tip intact (about 4-5 cm) (if you're in a hurry, skip this step). Now slice the stems into about 2 cm pieces, leaving the tips whole; set the stems and tips aside in two separate containers. Wash and trim the spinach.

Blanch the asparagus stalks in lightly salted water for 2 minutes (from boiling). Drain and add them to the asparagus tips.

Sauté the spring onions over very low heat in a heavy-bottomed pan (a wok will do) with a pinch of salt and, if desired, chopped herbs (dried herbs are fine), until translucent. Then, raise the heat, add the balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), and reduce. Repeat with water until the spring onions are soft and caramelized. Now raise the heat, add the spinach, season with salt, and sauté over high heat for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the water has almost completely reduced. Add the asparagus, let it cook for a couple of minutes, and then turn off the heat.

Bring the water for the pasta to a boil and add salt. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan assisted).

Prepare the vegetable béchamel sauce. Dissolve the cornstarch in 200 ml of cold almond or soy milk and bring the remaining 800 ml to a boil. Once boiling, pour the dissolved cornstarch into the boiling milk and boil for 3-4 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened. (To prevent sticking, you can drizzle a little oil on the bottom of the saucepan before pouring in the milk.) Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

Cut the cheese into 2-3 cm cubes.

Cook the pasta, drain it 3 minutes before the time indicated on the package and be sure to save at least a glass of cooking water.

Now take a suitably sized baking dish (a round one should be at least 30 cm in diameter and 4-5 cm high), pour in the paccheri and season with the béchamel sauce, vegetable sauce, and cheese (you can also use less béchamel and make the sauce creamier with 1 or 2 ladles of the reserved cooking water). Sprinkle with a generous handful of breadcrumbs and finish with a few knobs of extra virgin coconut oil or butter (preferably clarified). Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until an inviting golden crust forms.

Enjoy your meal!

If you have any questions or need advice, you can write to me at this address:

a.delsole@alternativeeating.it