Spinach Pasta with Shrimp & Sun Dried Tomatoes

I happened upon some penne pasta in Whole Foods last week that is  made of spinach (well powdered spinach, but still). I thought, wow a pasta even more healthy than whole wheat pasta, I have to try this. Plus I am always trying to sneak veggies into my son's diet and he adores noodles of any variety. 

Normally when making a creamy pasta, I would start with a roux. A roux is a cooked mixture of flour and a cooking fat, like butter, that is used to thicken sauces. I wanted to forgo this method and try something new. I decided to use the starchy cooking water from the pasta, which incidentally was rich from the spinach in the pasta, and milk. It ended up being quite tasty, but I do have to say it will not be as good leftover, so perhaps adjust the portion for who you are feeding, or make this when you have a crowd. 

Spinach Pasta with Shrimp & Sun Dried Tomatoes

1 lb. spinach penne pasta

1/2 lb. frozen raw shrimp, thawed (shells and tails removed)

6-8 sun dried tomato pieces + 2 cups water

2 T butter

1 shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid from pasta

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Make sure to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta. Return pasta to the same pot after draining and put over low heat. Add the reserved cooking liquid and milk and sit occasionally (it will take about 20-25 minutes to thicken). 

Meanwhile, immerse the sun dried tomatoes in the water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for about 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and let sit for about another 5 or so minutes. 

Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter, shallot and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant; you may need to lower the heat to low to make sure the garlic does not burn. Make sure the shrimp is patted dry and season with a few pinches of kosher salt. Add to the skillet and cook just until pink (about 5 minutes).   Make sure the shrimp are coated well in the butter, garlic and shallot mixture. 

Add the shrimp mixture to the pasta and stir well. Remove the sun dried tomatoes from the water bath and dice them, adding to the pasta pot as well. Stir well to combine. Keep the pasta over low heat until it is thick and creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately.