Pork and pasta florentine

By velma

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes undrained
• 1 pkg (10)oz chopped spinch thawed
• 1 pkg (10 oz)medium noodles
• 1 tbsp flour
• water
• Cheese Sauce
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• dash cayenne pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp grated cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Put 2 tbsp butter in medium size pan and heat over moderate heat. When butter is melted and hot add onion and garlic stirring with a wooden spoon until onion is golden brown about 5 min.
Add thyme and ground pork to onion in skillet Cook stirring until pork is lightly browned and broken into small pieces. Add 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper, bay leaf and tomatoes with the liquid. Bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes. Meanwhile drain thawed frozen spinach squeezing to remove excess moisture. Cook noodles as package directs. Drain thoroughly and toss with 1 tbsp of the butter. In a measuring cup mix 1 tbsp flour with 2 tbsp water until smooth. Add flour mixture to pork in skillet and continue to cook 5 minutes stirring constantly about 5 minutes. preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease the inside of a 2 quart shallow baking dish using solid vegetable shortening.
Make cheese sauce. In medium size saucepan melt 1/4 cup butter stir in 1/4 cup flour salt pepper and cayenne. Cook 1 min remove from heat and stir in milk. Return to heat bring to a boil stirring. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese stir until melted. Spread spinach in bottom of baking dish, cover with half of the sauce. Top with noodles and then pork pour remaining cheese sauce over all. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until hot. Makes 8 servings