Creamy Pasta Bake

Pasta bakes make a hearty meal that can often be prepared in advance. Hence, a great item on the menu if you have guests coming over. I particularly love to bake a pasta dish over the weekend, which brings the entire family together for a scrumptious and wholesome meal. 

CREAMY PASTA BAKE 

Ingredients:
sweet corn kernels - 1 cup
dried macaroni pasta - 1 cup
green peas - 1/2 cup
carrot - 1 (finely chopped)
capsicum - 1 (finely chopped)
mushrooms - 3-4 (sliced)

oregano - 1&1/2 tsp
bread crumbs - 2 tbsp
cheese - 1&1/2 cups
black sliced olives - handful
salt - to taste
olive oil - 1 tsp

For the sauce:
Flour (Maida) - 3 tbsp
Butter - 3 tbsp
Milk - 500 ml
Salt - to taste
Pepper - 1 tsp

Method:

• In a large pot of hot water, add pasta, corn kernels, peas, oil and salt. Boil till tender. Drain and keep aside. 
• To make the sauce, heat butter in a pan on medium flame until foaming. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Lower the flame, and gradually add milk while continuously stirring with a whisk. Keep stirring till all the lumps have vanished. Now add 1/2 cup cheese and cook till the sauce has started to thicken.
• Add salt, pepper, chopped carrots and capsicum to the sauce. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Arranging the pasta:

• In a baking tray, spread the pasta, corn and peas mixture.
• Pour the sauce over it and spread it evenly.
• Now spread the sliced mushrooms, and sprinkle oregano over it.
• Layer grated cheese, olives and bread crumbs, in that order.
• Bake the dish for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 220 degrees; or until the top layer is golden brown.
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
• Serve with toasted bread and enjoy the meal!

Alternate Variations:

1. Add chicken breast fillet pieces along with the mushrooms and bake for 30 minutes at 220 degrees.
2. Place boiled, pureed and seasoned spinach paste at the bottom most layer of the dish for a delicious flavour.