Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Spinach & Fresh Basil

[Sincerely-Food-Chef]

Ingredients

• 1 (5 oz) pkg baby spinach
• ½ cup cashews, roasted unsalted
• 2 small pkgs fresh basil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 lemon
• 14 oz penne pasta
• 36 sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed
• black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt

Instructions

1. Boil water in a kettle. (If you do not have a kettle, boil water in a saucepan, starting with hot tap water.)
   • 1 cup water
2. In a small bowl, pour boiling water over cashews and set aside to soak.
   • ½ cup cashews, roasted unsalted
3. Fill a large pot halfway with water, cover, and bring to a boil. Uncover, add salt and pasta, and stir for a few seconds. Cook until desired firmness, 8-10 minutes.
   • 14 oz penne pasta
   • 1 tsp salt
4. Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. (Skip the spinach if it came pre-washed.)
   • 1 pint grape tomatoes
   • 2 small pkgs fresh basil
   • 1 lemon
   • 1 (5 oz) pkg baby spinach
5. Halve the tomatoes and set aside in a small bowl.
6. Pick basil leaves off the stems, roll up crosswise, and slice into ribbons. Add to the bowl with the tomatoes, setting some aside to use as garnish.
7. Thinly slice the sun-dried tomatoes and add to the bowl.
   • 24 sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed
8. Juice the lemon into a blender. Peel and mince garlic; add to the blender.
   • 2 cloves garlic
9. Add additional sun-dried tomatoes, oil, salt, and pepper to the blender.
   • 12 sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed
   • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
   • ½ tsp salt
   • ¼ tsp black pepper
10. Add cashews, and the water you soaked them in, to the blender. Blend on high speed for several minutes until smooth.
11. Place spinach in a large colander in the sink. When the pasta is cooked, carefully empty into the colander over the spinach to drain and to wilt the spinach. Return the pasta and spinach to the pot and stir in the cashew-cream sauce, dried and fresh tomatoes, and basil.
12. To serve, divide pasta between plates, garnish with reserved basil, and enjoy!