Smoked Salmon and Spinach Strata

This tasty pasta strata is not only pretty to look at, but it feeds a crowd with a finished weight of six pounds. The subtle taste of rice pasta complements the stronger flavors of this dramatic entrée.

Yield

8 -10 slices

Time

50 minutes to assemble
30 minutes to cook
Total time: 80 minutes

Ingredients

1-16 oz box Notta Pasta Spaghetti
1 tablespoon butter
2-8 oz containers smoked salmon bits
1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 4 large cloves
2 tablespoons flour or non-gluten thickener*
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
1 teaspoon salt Pepper to taste
2-10 oz boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 bunch scallions, chopped (1/2 cup)
2-4 oz jars chopped sweet pimentos, drained
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided
*Non-gluten thickeners, such as rice or potato flours, can be found in local health food stores.

Directions

1.	Preheat oven to 400°F. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Grease inside of springform pan.
2.	Add butter to a large skillet, plus 2 tablespoons of oil drained from salmon bits. Chop salmon into smaller pieces and place back into containers.
3.	Heat butter and oil over a medium temperature. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add flour and mix until incorporated and bubbly. Stirring constantly, add milk and Parmesan cheese until sauce is smooth and thickened. Add teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
4.	Boil Notta Pasta according to directions on box. Quickly rinse in cold water and drain. Add pasta back into pot and pour in cheese sauce. Toss until well mixed.
5.	Squeeze spinach dry and mix well with scallions. Pressing firmly, layer: 1/3 pasta (about 3 cups) evenly in bottom of pan. Top with spinach and 1 container salmon, top salmon with 1 jar pimentos, and top pimentos with 1 cup cheddar. Repeat layers, pressing firmly between each. End with remaining 1/3 of pasta, topped with last cup of cheddar.
6.	Bake for 30 minutes or until top is lightly golden. Let rest on wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan and unmold. Serve hot or at room temperature.

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Springform pan

Kitchen Tip: To dress up strata slices for the holidays, purée a can of roasted red peppers or (seeded) tomatoes, and place a slice on sauce.

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Strata

In this recipe

Notta Pasta Rice Spaghetti