Prepare the Cashews and Pasta: Begin by soaking the cashews. Place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes. While they soak, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 800ml (around 3-4 cups) of the starchy pasta water.

Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the 2 tablespoons of reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for another minute until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.

Blend the Sauce: Drain the soaked cashews. Transfer them to a high-speed blender. Add the cooked onion and garlic mixture, the drained sun-dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, tomato purée, dried oregano, and about 500ml of the reserved pasta water (or vegetable stock). Blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce is completely smooth and velvety. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water, a little at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Combine Sauce and Pasta: Pour the blended sauce back into the large frying pan and warm it gently over a low-medium heat. Season generously with salt and black pepper, then stir in the fresh lemon juice. This brightens all the flavours.

Wilt the Greens: Add the cooked and drained pasta to the pan with the sauce. Stir everything together until the pasta is well-coated. Add the fresh spinach and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until it has just wilted into the sauce.

Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Fold in the chopped fresh basil. Have a final taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve the pasta immediately, garnished with a few extra basil leaves and a crack of black pepper.