Baked Spring Green Creamy Pasta
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
For the béchamel sauce
30g unsalted butter
30g plain flour
600ml milk
1 bay leaf
Whole nutmeg for grating
For the pasta
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
30g butter, melted,
100g peas (frozen), blanched
100g broad beans (frozen), blanched
350g macaroni pasta
1 tbsp of flat leaf parsley, mint and marjoram, chopped
80g baby leaf spinach
150g parmesan cheese, grated
100g fresh mozzarella, torn
Whole nutmeg for grating
80g breadcrumbs
Good-quality fresh pesto to serve
METHOD:
1. Start by making the béchamel sauce – place a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the butter and once melted add the flour, stirring to form a paste (roux). Gradually whisk in the 600ml milk, stirring continuously. Add the bay leaf and then continue to stir until the sauce is thick, smooth and just coming to the boil. Add a little freshly grated nutmeg and season with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
2. In a separate pan over a low-medium heat, cook the shallots in the butter until soft and translucent – about 10 minutes. Add the blanched peas and broad beans, stir, season and set aside.
3. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for a 8 minutes or until cooked. Strain the pasta and put it straight into the béchamel sauce while still hot. Add the chopped herbs, spinach, vegetables, and the parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella and a grating of nutmeg. Gently mix everything together.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Transfer the pasta from the saucepan into an oven proof dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella, the breadcrumbs and a drizzle of the melted butter. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling on top
5. To serve, spoon over a drizzle of good-quality fresh pesto.
