Colourful Ricotta Pasta Bake with Spinach and Carrots

A creamy pasta bake with ricotta, gouda and colourful vegetables of carrots, peas, spinach and cherry tomatoes. Mild in flavour and easy to prepare in advance, so it also appeals to children.

By yumbelo · 4 servings · 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 400 g Penne
• 250 g Carrots
• 150 g Peas (frozen)
• 200 g Leaf spinach
• 200 g Cherry tomatoes
• 1 Stück Garlic clove
• 1 EL Olive oil
• 200 ml Passata
• 250 g Ricotta
• 200 ml Cream
• 2 Stück Eggs
• 120 g Gouda, grated
• 1 Prise Nutmeg
• Salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C, top and bottom heat, and grease an ovenproof dish.
2. Bring salted water to the boil in a large pot and cook the penne according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 100 ml of the cooking water.
3. Peel the carrots and cut them into small cubes. Finely chop the garlic.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, fry the carrot cubes for 4 minutes and briefly fry the garlic along with them.
5. Add the peas and spinach and let them wilt, stirring. Fold in the halved cherry tomatoes and season everything with salt and pepper.
6. In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, cream, eggs, half of the gouda and the passata. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
7. Combine the pasta, vegetables and ricotta cream, adding a little of the cooking water if needed so that everything becomes nice and creamy.
8. Spoon the mixture into the ovenproof dish, sprinkle with the remaining gouda and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.
9. Let the bake rest for about 5 minutes and serve warm.