Baked Penne Pasta

I got this idea from Marisa McClellan. I changed the recipe a little though:

• 1 pound penne pasta
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, diced
• 3 bags of fresh baby spinach
• Garlic powder
• 6 oz (approximately) of pesto sauce-I used a jar of artichoke pesto that I bought at Wegman's
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
• Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced. Enough to cover top of pasta
• Finely chopped fresh basil, about five leaves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add penne pasta. Cook aldente.


3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the shallots in olive oil. When they start to brown, add one bag of spinach. Once it wilts, add the second, then the third. Salt the spinach as you go. Sprinkle it with garlic powder.


4. Once pasta is cooked, return it to pot and mix it with olive oil and parmesan cheese. Then add the spinach, ricotta cheese, and pesto cheese.


5. Put mixture in to lasagna tray and cover with thinly sliced mozzarella. Then cover with the finely chopped fresh basil.


6. Bake in oven until cheese is brown. (about 15 minutes)