Author Notes: This is my mother's rendition of an Italian-Peruvian dish called tallarines verdes, which literally means “green noodles.” It is an interpretation of pesto, which uses spinach and cream cheese.

Kelli's Green Spaghetti With Aji Sauce

Serves: 4 
Prep time: 15 min 
Cook time: 30 min

Green Spaghetti

• 3tablespoons olive oil
• 1large red onion, roughly chopped
• 2cloves garlic, minced
• 10-12ounces frozen spinach, thawed
• 1chicken or vegetable bouillon cube, optional
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1cup evaporated or whole milk
• 4ounces cream cheese (half a package)
• 1pound spaghetti, or pasta of your choice

1. Heat a pan or skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions. Cook the onions until they soften and begin to turn golden brown. Now add the garlic and stir well. Cook for about 5 more minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the onions turn a uniform golden brown.
2. Add the spinach to the pan or skillet and stir to combine with the garlic and the onions. Crumble the bouillon cube, if using, over the spinach and stir to combine. Sauté until the spinach comes to a simmer. Test for doneness and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. When the spinach is cooked, pour all the contents of the pan into a blender. Add the milk and cream cheese and blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning. The sauce should taste just a little too salty. Set the sauce aside until ready to use.
4. Boil the spaghetti or pasta to your taste. My mom would cook it until it was tender, but al dente is just fine for this dish. Drain the pasta, place back into the pot and toss with the sauce. This is supposed to be a very saucy pasta dish, but you can use as much sauce as you’d like with your pasta. Serve with parmesan cheese and aji sauce (recipe follows). Any leftovers freeze beautifully.

Aji Sauce

• 1/3large red onion, roughly chopped
• 1clove garlic, minced
• 4orange scotch bonnet chiles, seeded and deveined
• 1/4cup evaporated milk or whole milk
• 2tablespoons peanut butter
• 4ounces cream cheese (half a package)
• Salt, to taste

1. Roughly chop the scotch bonnet chiles and place in a blender.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Cook the onions until they soften and begin to turn golden brown. Now add the garlic and stir well. Cook for about 5 more minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the onions turn a uniform golden brown. Turn off the heat.
3. Transfer the onions and garlic to the blender. Add peanut butter, cream cheese, and milk. Blend until smooth. Taste for salt and blend again.
4. Transfer to a serving dish or storage container. Serve with the green spaghetti. Leftovers can be kept refrigerated for up to three days.

https://food52.com/recipes/76708-kelli-s-green-spaghetti-with-aji-sauce