Pappardelle are long, ripple-edged noodles. If you can’t find them, substitute fettuccine. But whichever you end up using it doesn’t matter, this rich, delicious dish will be everything you wanted it to be.

“The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later you’re hungry again.” —George Miller

Serves: 6

• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 ounces portabella mushroom caps, cut crosswise
  in half, then thinly sliced
• 10 ounces spinach, preferably triple-washed, rinsed,
  stemmed, and coarsely chopped
• 1 10- to 12-ounce package pappardelle
• 15 ounces vegan ricotta cheese ^[1]
• 1/4 cup Vegan Parmesan cheese ^[2], homemade or store bought
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra Vegan Parmesan cheese, optional

Heat a large skillet and toast the pine nuts over medium heat until golden. Remove them to a plate and set aside until needed.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and cook in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in the same skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over medium-low heat until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and a very small amount of water and cook, covered, until they are wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add as much of the spinach as will fit into the skillet. Cover and allow to wilt down briefly, then add the remaining spinach and stir. Cover and steam until the spinach is just wilted and bright green.

Combine the pappardelle and spinach mixture in  a large serving bowl. Add the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses and stir together, gently but thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir again.

Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the top and serve, passing around extra Parmesan cheese for topping, if desired.

• Here are more hearty vegan pasta recipes. ^[3]
• Explore more way to enjoy spinach ^[4].
• Mushroom lovers, rejoice! Here are more mushroom recipes ^[5] for you.