Fresh Leek and Spinach Pasta Recipe

Directions:

1. Slice up the light green sections of the leeks. Use as much as possible, it will cook down quite a bit! Put into a colander and rinse the sand/dirt off.
2. Slice the red pepper into long thin slices.
3. I get these nice little stuffed peppers from the deli/olive bar. Squeeze the cream cheese out and set aside. Cut the hot pepper into small bits (~ 1/2 cm x 1/2 cm).
4. Get enough water into one pot for the pasta and start bringing to a boil. (Add salt to water and pasta once it's boiling).
5. In the meantime, heat a nonstick fry pan (that will be large enough for the full 2 servings of pasta) over med-high heat.
6. Add olive oil to the pan and heat.
7. Add the leeks and red pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes.
8. Add the hot pepper. Saute another 5 minutes. The leeks should just start to brown (but don't burn them!).
9. While sauteeing, add the spinach to the colander and rinse.
10. Toss the sun-dried tomatoes and the olives in with the leeks. (If adding meatless sausage or tuna, this would be a good time to add it, too).
11. Reduce the heat to med-low and saute for another couple of minutes.
12. Add the reserved cream cheese and mix all together. Add the tomatoes.
13. Once the pasta is cooked, pour gently over the spinach and drain.
14. Crumble the feta cheese into the vegetables.
15. Add half pasta to pan. Add pesto and stir.
16. Add rest of pasta/spinach to pan. (If I'm not using pesto, I usually drizzle another tbsp of olive oil in at this point).
17. Adjust to low heat. Cover and heat for 2 minutes.
18. Stir everything together and serve.