Pasta with Roast Sweet Potato and Pasta

Thanks to my CSA I have something like 20 pounds of sweet potatoes, which since they last so long in our cool garage (holder of sweet potatoes and junk, but not cars), is not a bad thing to have. While they make a lovely side dish, for a weeknight dinner, I am all about one plate meals. Pile it on a plate, slice some bread, and call it dinner.

So, I turned to Donna Hay. She never lets me down, especially when it comes to simple dishes that look much harder and fancier than they are. I'm all about things that make me look like I worked harder than I did. How else am I going to justify the fact that I need individual gratin dishes. I want some cute ones, maybe in red. It's all your fault, I've seen them popping up in blogs all over, and I have become obsessed with finding some.

Anyway, I looked through The New Cookby Donna Hay and found Pasta with Roast Sweet Potato and Fetta. You know what it is even better about this simple pasta dish??!! It comes with it's own salad, built right in. You serve the pasta over some fresh baby spinach, which sounded kind of weird, but totally worked. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes, the tang of the feta, the bitey sweetness of the leeks and the rosemary, all wonderful!

Pasta with Roast Sweet Potato and Feta
Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled and diced) (only I didn't peel)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
3 leeks, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
14 oz pasta
2 tablespoons butter
6 oz marinated feta, chopped (I just used regular)
8 oz baby spinach leaves
cracked black pepper
grated parmesan

Toss the sweet potatoes with one tablespoon of the oil, salt and pepper, and spread on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 for 30 minutes or until soft and browned.

Place 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and the rosemary and cook for about 7 minutes, or until soft and golden.

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water per directions. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the sweet potatoes, leeks, butter and feta. Toss to combine.

Place piles of spinach on plate and top with pasta, sprinkle with parmesan and a generous grinding of fresh ground pepper.

This will be my entry for this week's Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

P.S. I've entered Smudge in a Cute Senior Cat Contest on Facebook. He would be ever so appreciative if you would vote for him.