Baked Pasta With Artichokes and Peas Recipe
Ingredients
| BECHAMEL SAUCE | ||
| Unsalted butter | 4 Tablespoon | |
| All-purpose flour - 3 tablespoons | ||
| Hot milk - 2 1/2 cups | ||
| Parmesan cheese | 1/4 Cup (16 tbs), freshly grated | |
| Nutmeg – a pinch | ||
| Salt | 1 To taste | |
| Pepper | To Taste | |
| VEGETABLE AND PROSCIUTTO HAM MIXTURE | ||
| Garlic – 2 cloves, minced | ||
| Unsalted butter | 3 Tablespoon | |
| Frozen artichoke hearts – 2 X 9 oz, thawed, patted dry and quartered | ||
| Prosciutto ham – 6 oz, diced | ||
| Frozen, petite peas – 10 oz, thawed | ||
| Fresh Roma tomatoes – ½ lb, peeled, seeded, cut into eights | ||
| Fresh/dried basil – 1/3 cup, chopped if fresh | ||
| REMAINING INGREDIENTS | ||
| Pasta – 1 lb, as per choice | ||
| Fontina cheese – 3 oz, freshly grated | ||
| Parmesan cheese – ½ cup, freshly grated | ||
Directions
GETTING READY
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
MAKING
2. For the sauce, in a heavy saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour; cook for a couple of minutes on a medium flame, taking care not to burn
3. Remove it from the heat, whisk in hot milk slowly and to avoid forming lumps; turn the heat on again and allow to boil, stirring every now and then; turn the heat down and simmer for ten minutes
4. Add in Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper, turn the heat off and cover with lid
5. In a large, non-reactive skillet, melt butter and sauté garlic in it till golden brown; add artichoke hearts and ham and cook for another five minutes till artichoke is lightly coloured
6. Add in peas and cook for another couple of minutes; add tomatoes and basil, cook for another five minutes until tomatoes are just tender and add salt and pepper
7. In a large saucepan, cook the pasta until al dente and drain; also, grate the Fontina and set it aside
FINALISING
8. On the bottom of a three quart baking dish, spread a third of the bechamel sauce; top with half of the cooked pasta with half the vegetables and ham mixture on top
9. Spread another third of the sauce, sprinkle half of the remaining cheeses and repeat the same layers once again, finishing off with a layer of béchamel sauce and rest of the cheeses
10. Spread another third of the bechamel sauce on top, sprinkle with half of the remaining cheeses and bake for twenty five minutes till piping hot
SERVING
11. Serve as appropriate
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
MAKING
2. For the sauce, in a heavy saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour; cook for a couple of minutes on a medium flame, taking care not to burn
3. Remove it from the heat, whisk in hot milk slowly and to avoid forming lumps; turn the heat on again and allow to boil, stirring every now and then; turn the heat down and simmer for ten minutes
4. Add in Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper, turn the heat off and cover with lid
5. In a large, non-reactive skillet, melt butter and sauté garlic in it till golden brown; add artichoke hearts and ham and cook for another five minutes till artichoke is lightly coloured
6. Add in peas and cook for another couple of minutes; add tomatoes and basil, cook for another five minutes until tomatoes are just tender and add salt and pepper
7. In a large saucepan, cook the pasta until al dente and drain; also, grate the Fontina and set it aside
FINALISING
8. On the bottom of a three quart baking dish, spread a third of the bechamel sauce; top with half of the cooked pasta with half the vegetables and ham mixture on top
9. Spread another third of the sauce, sprinkle half of the remaining cheeses and repeat the same layers once again, finishing off with a layer of béchamel sauce and rest of the cheeses
10. Spread another third of the bechamel sauce on top, sprinkle with half of the remaining cheeses and bake for twenty five minutes till piping hot
SERVING
11. Serve as appropriate
Chef
