Pasta With Herbed Ricotta, Tomatoes and Spinach

• 4 cups of fresh spinach, well rinsed and tough stems removed
• 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
• 4 scallions, trimmed and minced
• 13 cup packed basil leaves, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons flat parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound penne
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1. Blanch the rinsed spinach leaves in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until limp, about 1 minute.
2. Drain the spinach and cool completely under cold running water.
3. Pat dry and chop.
4. Put the ricotta cheese in a large bowl and beat with a fork until smooth.
5. Stir in the spinach, scallions, basil, tomatoes, parsley and olive oil.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cook the penne until tender in well-salted boiling water.
8. Drain, toss with the ricotta mixture, garnish with the pine nuts and serve immediately.

fresh spinach, fresh ricotta cheese, scallions, basil, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, salt, penne, pine nuts

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6871 (may not work)