
A versatile pasta bake is a midweek staple and this recipe can even be made ahead and frozen for extra convenience
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
- Vegetarian
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal667
- fat27g
- saturates16g
- carbs82g
- sugars11g
- fibre5g
- protein28g
- salt0.98g
Ingredients
- 1l milk
Milk
mill-kOne of the most widely used ingredients, milk is often referred to as a complete food. While cow…
- 2 garlic cloves, bashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 500g dried pasta
Pasta
pah-stahPasta is the Italian name for Italy's version of a basic foodstuff which is made in many…
- 350g broccoli, in small florets
Broccoli
brok-o-leeLike cabbage and cauliflower, broccoli is a brassica and is sometimes known by its Italian name…
- 75g butter
Butter
butt-errButter is made when lactic-acid producing bacteria are added to cream and churned to make an…
- 75g plain flour
- a little freshly grated nutmeg
Nutmeg
nut-megOne of the most useful of spices for both sweet and savoury…
- 1 tsp mustard powder
Mustard
muss-tardA condiment made by mixing the ground seeds of the mustard plant with a combination of…
- small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Parsley
par-sleeOne of the most ubiquitous herbs in British cookery, parsley is also popular in European and…
- 200g cheese, grated (cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyère, or a mixture)
Method
Bring the milk, garlic and bay leaves to the boil in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse. Cook the pasta to al dente following pack instructions (if you’re freezing, cook for 1 min less), adding the broccoli for the final 2 mins. Drain.
Strain the milk into a jug. Heat the butter in the pan until foaming then stir in the flour for 1 min. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring or whisking constantly to remove any lumps. Bubble for 1-2 mins, stirring constantly until you have a thick, lump-free sauce.
Remove from the heat and stir in some nutmeg, the mustard powder, parsley, three-quarters of the cheese and seasoning. Combine with the pasta and broccoli and transfer to one large, or individual, heatproof dishes. Scatter over the remaining cheese and cool and freeze for up to three months, or heat the grill to high and cook for 2-3 mins until golden and bubbling. If frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight, then cook at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30-40 mins until piping hot.
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