DEEP IN THE HART

AWESOME PASTA.... I used ground turkey, didn't do breadcrumbs, and I added sun dried tomatoes. I also didn't have time to bake it but I bet it would be even better if you did!

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with kosher salt. Add pasta and cook to just shy of al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water. To the drained pasta, add the pesto and 1 cup Asiago cheese and mix.

Meanwhile, over medium heat cook the ground turkey and garlic until the turkey is fully cooked, about 8 minutes. Add the entire can of tomatoes and stir. Place all the spinach on top of the simmering tomato and turkey mixture; reduce heat and cover to cook the spinach about 2-3 minutes. Next, add the pesto pasta to the tomato mixture and toss. If desired, add a little of the pasta water to thin out the sauce.

Immediately add the pasta to a lightly oiled baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. For more texture, sprinkle with a cup of panko bread crumbs and drizzle with a little olive oil. (This step is totally optional.)

Bake in a preheated 375ºF oven until the top is golden, about 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

• 1 pound Cavatappi Pasta
• 1 cup Basil Pesto
• 1-½ cup Freshly Grated Asiago Cheese, Divided
• 1 pound Ground Turkey Or Sirloin
• 2 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
• 1 can (15 Oz. Size) Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce
• 1 bag (about 5 To 6 Oz. Size) Baby Spinach
• Olive Oil
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (optional)