Tortellini and Spinach in Garlic Broth

Don't be tempted to cook the tortellini in the soup; they will soak up too much of that irresistibly garlicky broth. Cook them separately, as the soup simmers, and stir them in at the last moment.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups water
3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini (see Variation)
1 pound spinach, stems removed, leaves washed well (about 2 1/4 quarts)
Grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

VARIATION:
*Substitute one quart of shredded escarole for the spinach.
*Use meat- or cheese-filled ravioli instead of the tortellini.

Baked Rigatoni with Spinach, Ricotta, and Fontina

A quick take on spinach and ricotta cannelloni, this baked pasta is fast because there's nothing to stuff. The filling is simply tossed with cooked rigatoni that's then topped with fontina and baked to a golden brown.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 pound rigatoni
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups (about 1 pound) ricotta cheese
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
6 ounces fontina cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.


In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni until almost done, about 12 minutes. Drain. Put the pasta in the prepared baking dish and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil.


Meanwhile, squeeze as much of the water as possible from the spinach. Put the spinach in a food processor and puree with the ricotta, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir in half the fontina.


Stir the spinach mixture into the pasta. Top with the remaining fontina and Parmesan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the top. Bake the pasta until the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.


Variation


You can substitute another chunky pasta, such as penne rigate, penne, ziti, or fusilli. Boil all of these one or two minutes less.