Pasta casserole with chicken, spinach and fresh mozzarella

Ingredients:

• 450 g fusilli pasta (spirals)
• 2 tbsp. chopped grilled chicken, remove the skin and bones
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 can (800 g) of canned plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 can (425g) canned plum tomatoes, hand crushed
• 4 large sprigs fresh basil + 1 cup chopped basil + extra for serving (optional)
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 6 cups small spinach
• 3 cups fresh mozzarella, diced
• 1 tbsp. grated parmesan

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 230°C. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly, add the basil sprigs, and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 15-20 minutes. Remove the basil sprigs and stir in finely chopped basil and parsley. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cook the fusilli pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
4. Add the tomato sauce, spinach, chicken, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan to a bowl and mix well to evenly distribute the ingredients. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped basil, if using.