Roasted Tomatillo Sauce with Linguine

After being at the office all day writing, usually skipping out on lunch, I always want to come home to a home-cooked meal! Well sadly, I haven't found a family of fairy elves to inhabit my kitchen and whip up delicious meals while I'm away, so the task is left up to me! I also find when making my hungry voyage home I'm craving all the wrong things, like hand cut french fries, skittles and ice cream. So I'm always in need of a healthy, filling supper.

Roasted Tomatillo Sauce with Linguine!  If it's name isn't enough to make you run to the grocery how about this? Tomatillos roasted in a 400 degree oven with big cloves of garlic and olive oil. Fresh thyme, fresh oregano and fresh spinach pureed together with the roasted tomatillos to create a deliciously light and healthy sauce. Drooling yet?! :0)

Wishing you happy cooking and sweeter days,
Lizzy

Fun Fact: Tomatillos are commonly thought to be a green tomato or part of the tomato family. The tomatillo actually resides in the gooseberry family!


Roasted Tomatillo Sauce-
Recipe courtesy of Cuisine at Home Issue No. 76

1 lb. tomatillos (about 8 medium-sized tomatillos), husks removed
6 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. dry whole- wheat linguine or spaghetti (I actually used traditional linguine but I think the whole wheat would be delicious with this sauce)
4 cups loosely-packed spinach (3 oz)
2 Tbsp low sodium chicken broth (I didn't add the chicken broth, and I didn't feel that it lacked any flavor or needed it for consistency.)
2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp Kosher salt (I used sea salt)
1 tsp red pepper flake
10 cherry tomatoes, halved (I decided not to add the cherry tomatoes, but I think it would add a delicious element)
Pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Quater tomatillos. Place tomatillos and garlic in a bowl; add oil and toss to coat ingredients. Spread tomatillos and garlic cloves in a baking dish; roast for 35 minutes.

Cook linguine according to package directions. (Don't forget to salt your pasta water. I used Barilla pasta and cooked for 9 mins to al dente)

Place roasted tomatillo mixture in a food processor; add spinach, broth (optional), oregano, thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper flakes. Process until sauce is blended.

Drain linguine; transfer to a bowl with cherry tomatoes. (I just placed the pasta back into the same pan I boiled it in.)  Add sauce and toss to coat linguine and tomatoes. Garnish each serving with Romano cheese.