Main meal, Snack/side dish | Serves: 2
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 250g (8oz) fresh spinach leaves, washed
- 200g (7oz) dried macaroni
- 1 leek (about 75g) washed and diced
For the sauce:
- 150g (5oz) quark (a type of fat-free soft cheese)
- 100ml (3½ fl oz) home-made or reduced-salt stock
- ½ tsp English mustard powder
- 25g (1oz) reduced fat mature Cheddar cheese, finely grated
- 30g (2 tbsp) dried wholegrain breadcrumbs (made from half a slice of stale wholemeal bread or bread which has been baked till dry)
Whisk together all the sauce ingredients, except 1 tbsp of the grated cheese, and season with ground black pepper.
2. Cook the spinach, with no extra water, in a medium saucepan until just wilted. Remove, squeeze out all the excess liquid and chop. Spoon over the base of a shallow, heatproof dish.
3. In the same saucepan, cook the macaroni in boiling water for 7–10 minutes until tender. Add the chopped leek for the last 2–3 minutes of cooking time.
4. Drain the macaroni well and stir in the sauce ingredients. Spoon on top of the spinach and sprinkle with the reserved cheese and breadcrumbs.
5. Pop under a hot grill for 2–3 minutes until well browned. Serve immediately.
Cook’s tip – use frozen spinach instead of fresh. Measure out about 85g (3oz) and squeeze well to remove all excess liquid before using.
Nutritional information:
Source: British Heart Foundation