Pasta with Zucchini and Spinach Sauce

Zucchini is now easily available in the Maldives. The boys enjoy it as well, especially in pasta. I found this delicious recipe in an Australian women's weekly magazine and it was a hit with my family. I used frozen spinach instead of fresh, feel free to use regular spinach or baby spinach or use kangkung leaves/ water spinach.
For the cream I used Nestle cream as it's more easily available to all parts of Maldives as I have discovered that I have some readers from other islands not just from Male' City.


Recipe : Pasta with Zucchini and Spinach sauce recipe adapted from Pasta with zucchini lemon sauce from Australian Women's Weekly Magazine.

225g farfalle or bow tie pasta
2 small zucchini ( when choosing zucchini choose small firm ones), sliced
1 small can of Roberts's beef luncheon meat, cut into thin strips or 100g beef salami from the deli ( optional)
1 tsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 chicken stock cube
1 can Nestle cream
generous pinch of chilli flakes
 50g Frozen chopped spinach ( or use 2 handful of baby spinach chopped) , I used Birds Eye Chopped Spinach as they have the spinach frozen in little cubes .
ground black pepper
salt
handful of grated parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to boil , once it starts to boil add the bow tie pasta and cook till al dente'

2. While the pasta is cooking prepare the sauce, heat pan, no oil or butter , add the luncheon meat and let it crisp a little, remove to a plate.

3. Add butter and oil and let it melt, add garlic and zucchini slices and cook over a medium heat till the zucchini starts to caramelize on the edges.

4. Return the meat. Mix the stock cube with the hot water and add this into the zucchini mixture a long with chilli flakes. Let it boil then simmer for 5 minutes then stir in cream and spinach and  stir and simmer till slightly thicken. Taste adjust salt and add pepper and more chilli flakes if you like.

5. Remove 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the rest , add the pasta to the sauce add  a little of the  reserved pasta water . Cook over a low heat 1 minute and then switch off. Stir in grated parmesan cheese. Serve !!

Please don't make pasta ages before its  to be served, pasta is best made just before serving. You can make the sauce ahead and then cook the pasta just before  serving  , just warm the sauce before tossing the pasta in.