Yields Makes 8 servings
Stuck at home on a winter's day, Sunset reader Denise Naughton turned to ingredients on hand in the refrigerator to come up with this tangy pesto sauce.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan, combine oil, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir often over high heat until onion is limp, 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 2
2

Add ham and stir often until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.

Step 3
3

Add tomato sauce and pesto to mushroom mixture. Turn heat down to low.

Step 4
4

Squeeze liquid from spinach. Add spinach to pan and heat until simmering.

Step 5
5

Meanwhile, cook vermicelli in about 3 quarts boiling water until just tender to bite, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

Step 6
6

Mix yogurt and cornstarch. Stir into sauce, then stir over high heat until bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Step 7
7

Pour sauce over pasta. Mix to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients

 2 teaspoons olive oil
 1 onion (6 oz.), chopped
 3 cloves garlic, sliced
 1/3 pound mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
 2/3 cup (3 oz.) chopped cooked ham
 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
 1/3 cup (3 oz.) pesto or 2 tablespoons dried basil
 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
 1 pound dried vermicelli
 1 pint plain nonfat yogurt
 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  Salt and pepper

Directions

Step 1
1

In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan, combine oil, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir often over high heat until onion is limp, 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 2
2

Add ham and stir often until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.

Step 3
3

Add tomato sauce and pesto to mushroom mixture. Turn heat down to low.

Step 4
4

Squeeze liquid from spinach. Add spinach to pan and heat until simmering.

Step 5
5

Meanwhile, cook vermicelli in about 3 quarts boiling water until just tender to bite, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

Step 6
6

Mix yogurt and cornstarch. Stir into sauce, then stir over high heat until bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Step 7
7

Pour sauce over pasta. Mix to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yogurt Pesto Pasta

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