Spinach and Feta Croquettes With Pasta

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Here's my slightly delayed post for National Vegetarian Week!

This recipe was inspired and adapted from one of Anthony Carluccio's, but I've altered it slightly to suit the ingredients I had to hand. I think the spinach croquettes would look a little more attractive if they were deep fried, but I shallow fried them and they still tasted good, and not too spinach-y.

Serves 4

For the croquettes:

• 300g/12oz fresh spinach, washed
• 1 medium egg
• 2 slices of bread made into breadcrumbs
• 100g/4oz feta cheese
• 1 large clove of garlic
• nutmeg and black pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

For the pasta and dressing:

• 250g/10oz dried pasta
• 50g/2oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 50g/2oz roasted peppers (from a jar), chopped
• 2 tsp fresh chopped sage, or 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 50g/2oz feta cheese, cubed

Wash the spinach and microwave in a covered bowl (no added water) for about 3-4 minutes on high.

Allow to cool and then squeeze out as much water as possible with you hands.

Add all of the croquette ingredients to the food processor and blend until you have a thick, soft dough-like consistency  If needed, add some more bread crumbs.

Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan and drop heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture into the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side and then drain on kitchen paper. 
Keep warm in the oven.

Meanwhile, make the pasta dressing by heating 2 tbsp of the reserved oil from either the sun-dried tomatoes or the peppers. Add the garlic and sage and fry gently for 2 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients, except the feta.

Cook the pasta until al-dente, drain and stir into the dressing.

Serve the pasta topped with the spinach croquettes and the cubed feta.

Alternative: You could blend the dressing ingredients to make a smooth pesto-style sauce if preferred.