Baked pasta au gratin with cheese, a perfect main course to serve even during the Easter period.
Easy to make, this recipe requires two steps, the first on the stove to melt cheeses and cook the pasta, and the second, very quick, in the oven.
For the choice of cheeses, personally, I tried to balance flavors between those more savory like gorgonzola and taleggio and the more delicate ones like mozzarella and montasio, which you can substitute with Asiago.
The beauty of baked pasta is that you can prepare it in advance, keep it in the fridge, and complete the cooking up to 48 hours later, in the oven.
This sauce is also perfect for lasagna, in this case skipping the boiling step for the pasta, or for rice.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stove, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Easter
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz pasta (preferably short)
- 4.5 oz mozzarella (well drained)
- 2.5 oz Taleggio (net of waste)
- 3.5 oz gorgonzola (sweet)
- 3.5 oz montasio
- 7 oz béchamel sauce
- 0.5 oz coarse salt
- 2 ladles water (hot)
- to taste pepper
- 2.8 oz Grana Padano grated
Tools
- 1 Pan
- 1 Pot
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Spoon
Steps
To make the baked pasta au gratin with cheese, heat two ladles of water in the pan and add the cubed montasio.
After 3-4 minutes, add the taleggio and gorgonzola, and continue to melt the cheeses over low heat, stirring often.
Add the béchamel, which you can buy ready-made or make following my recipe.
Season with pepper and keep stirring.
When the cheese starts to melt, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water and drain it al dente.
Add it to the sauce and mix to combine the ingredients in the pan.
Transfer half of the mixture into a large baking dish and add the well-drained and diced mozzarella and half of the grated cheese.
Finish with the remaining pasta and sauce and bake in a preheated ventilated oven at 375°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve the baked pasta au gratin with cheese when it has slightly cooled to cut it better.
