Specials Board: Rocket Pasta

Tonight I fancied pasta, its been a while since I've eaten any pasta and tonight the only thing that would fix my hunger for sure, was a bowl of pasta. Maybe its the weather? Warm and sunny, alfresco entertaining, the Italian lifestyle......

During the summer months I tend not to buy much salad or vegetables as I try and eat what I grow or I am given. After a quick wonder around my small vegetable plot I had picked a large handful of rocket. Usually I would eat this ingredient raw in salads but it is just as tasty cooked.

This recipe is so easy and very quick to make, you could hardly call it a recipe!

Ingredients - Serves 2

120g Penne Pasta
300ml Almond milk
1 Tbsp Vitalite
1 Tbsp Plain flour
1 Tsp Mustard powder
1 Tsp Porcini powder
3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
Dash of Olive oil
1 Onion, diced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
75-100g Rocket, washed


Method

First put the pasta on to cook as per the packet instructions. You'll have just enough time to prepare everything else before the pasta is ready. See I told you it was quick!

While the pasta is cooking prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan add the milk, flour and vitalite and slowly bring to a simmer over a low heat, whisking all the time. Once the sauce has reached a simmer and has thickened add the mustard and porcini powder (through a sieve) and stir to combine. Add the nutritional yeast and stir again. Set aside.

Saute the onions in the olive oil until starting to turn brown around 3 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for another two minutes. Add the washed rocket to the pan in batches and wait until it has wilted before you add the next batch. Once all the rocket has been added, re-stir the sauce and pour onto the rocket mixture. 

Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the water and add the pasta to the rocket and sauce. Stir so that the sauce coats the pasta. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if the mixture is too thick.

I've entered this recipe into the "Pasta Please" Food Blog Challenge, which is being hosted by Dannii over at the Hungry Healthy Happy Blog on behalf of Jacqueline over at Tinned Tomatoes. 

This months Pasta Please is focusing on healthy/lightened up pasta dishes, or any pasta dish that is packed with veggies. The pasta sauce in my recipe is tasty with out loading it with vegan cheese, thanks to the porcini and mustard powders and the nooch!