Spirelli Florentine

INGREDIENTS

6 cups dry spiralli –
cook as outlined in the section on Cooking Pasta
but leave the pasta slightly undercooked
6 packed cups spinach leaves
3 cups cottage cheese
¾ cup natural plain yoghurt
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1½ tablespoons butter
1½ tablespoons plain (all purpose) flour
1½ cups chicken stock- brought to the boil
NOTE: {Vegetable stock can be substituted in this recipe)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

METHOD

Wash spinach leaves and drain. If using silverbeet, remove white stalks and chop roughly.
Steam the spinach in a colander over a pot of boiling water or microwave until wilted. This doesn't take long. A couple of minutes or so.

Chop spinach again and combine in a large bowl with cottage cheese, yoghurt, ¾ cup parmesan cheese, salt, Tabasco sauce, basil and thyme.

Stir in the cooked spiralli and place in a greased casserole dish or deep baking tray.

In a large pot, melt butter and stir in flour. Slowly add boiling stock whilst stirring continuously. Add a good twist of freshly ground black pepper and pour over the pasta mixture. Top with the remaining parmesan cheese.