Ingredients (5 servings)

Salt, start with 1 to 1½ tsp, plus more to taste

Salt your pasta water heavily (like the sea)

375 grams whole wheat pasta

6 to 8 roma tomatoes (about 2 to 2½ cups tomato pulp for your sauce base)

1 medium yellow onion

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

(Use 6 if you like a strong garlic flavour)

½ to 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

¼ to ½ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust for heat)

2 to 3 cups broccoli florets (about 1 medium head)

225 g or 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups sliced)

4 to 5 cups fresh spinach (about 120 to 150 g)

(it will shrink a lot)

Optional:

½ to 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it heavily (like seawater). Cook the whole wheat pasta until al dente and reserve ½ to 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

2. Grate the roma tomatoes to make fresh tomato pulp.

3. In a large skillet or pot, sauté the diced onion in a bit of olive oil until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and broccoli and cook until the mushrooms release their moisture and the broccoli begins to soften. Season with black pepper, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes.

4. Pour in the fresh tomato pulp, add about ½ tsp salt to start. Turn the heat down and let the sauce simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until it thickens and the flavours meld together.

5. Stir in the fresh spinach and let it wilt, then add the cooked pasta and toss well, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed so the sauce coats the noodles. Taste and adjust the seasoning and finish with freshly grated parmesan if using.