Spinach & Mushroom Spaghetti

I had some spinach and mushroom leftover in my fridge and was wondering what to do with it. I didn't want to make Palak paneer again and was in no mood to make mushroom masala. I wanted to make something quick and tasty at the same time. So, I simply decided to play with these vegetables and came out with my version of Spinach and Mushroom Spaghetti.


Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Serves : 3 Ingredients :

1/2 bunch spinach washed and blanched
40 gms spaghetti
10 mushroom chopped finely
2 thai green chillies chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp grated mozarella cheese
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp mixed Italian dried herbs
2 tbsp olive oil

Method :

• Boil the spaghetti in plenty of salted water as per the packet instructions. Drain and keep aside. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to it so that it does not stick.
  
• In a blender, puree the blanched spinach along with the green chillies and a little bit of minced garlic.
• In a pan, heat some butter and when the butter is melted, add the flour to it and cook it for about 2 minutes ensuring that there are no lumps formed. To this, add 1/2 cup milk and whisk nicely. Add salt and pepper to taste and the herbs. Finally, add the grated cheese and blend everything together by mixing it well. If the sauce is too thick, you could add a little bit more milk to it.
• Add the spinach and chilli paste to the white sauce and mix it well. You will get a nice green coloured sauce.
• In a pan, heat some butter and sauté the chopped mushroom adding some salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Grease a baking pan with butter and spread the cooked spaghetti evenly in the pan. On top of it, pour the spinach and white sauce mixture and mix it well with the spaghetti ensuring that the spaghetti is nicely covered with the sauce. Finally, spread the sautéed mushrooms on top of it and bake it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.
• Serve hot with garlic bread or you could also eat it just like that.