Spinach sauce with Seafood Pasta Shells Recipe

Cream cheese and spinach complement all kinds of pasta. This sauce would be perfect with any filled fresh pasta.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

32 large dried pasta shells

For the filling:

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

8 scallions, finely sliced

6 tomatoes

8 ounces cooked peeled shrimp

6-ounce can white crab meat, drained and flaked

For the spinach sauce:

1 cup cream cheese 

6 tablespoons milk

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

4 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degree Fahrenheit. Melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan and cook the scallions for 3-4 minutes, until soft.
2. Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for 1 minute, then into cold water. Slip off the skins. Halve the tomatoes, remove the seeds and cores and roughly chop the flesh.
3. Cook the pasta shells in lightly salted boiling water for about 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain. 
4. To make the sauce, put the cream cheese and milk into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring until blended. Season with salt, ground black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
5. Measure 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture into a bowl. Add the scallions, tomatoes, shrimp, and crab meat. Mix well. Spoon the filling into the shells and place in a single layer in a shallow ovenproof dish. Cover with aluminium foil and cook for 10 minutes. 
6. Stir the spinach into the remaining sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Drizzle on the pasta and serve hot. 

Source: France, Christine. 2007. The Complete Guide to Make Sauces. Hermes House: London.