The baked pasta with cooked ham, mushrooms, and mozzarella is an easy-to-make, rich, and very tasty main course! It’s the perfect dish for any occasion, like serving it for a family Sunday lunch!
Baked pasta is also known as pasta timbale or baked pasta casserole. It’s a typical Italian dish appreciated for its deliciousness and simplicity.
The characteristic of this dish lies in its varied textures. An irresistible crust forms on the surface, making the pasta crispy, while inside it remains soft and stringy thanks to generous amounts of cheese! It’s also enriched with the indispensable béchamel sauce, making it more enveloping and tasty!
Baked pasta originated as a variation of richer and more expensive dishes that not everyone could afford in the past. Examples include meat pies, lasagnas, cannelloni, timbales, etc.
Baked pasta is usually made with short pasta shapes. Penne, tortiglioni, mezze maniche, ziti, fusilli are the most common.
However, you can find versions with tortellini, conchiglioni, or gnocchi, like the famous gnocchi alla sorrentina. I must admit, I’ve tasted baked pasta even with spaghetti, and it was delicious!
And since we eat with our eyes too, we can create true baked pasta cakes that leave everyone in awe at the table! Just like the paccheri cake with mushrooms and ground meat, a triumph of taste and beauty!
I love baked pasta because you can often prepare it using the ingredients you have in the fridge. This way, it becomes a recycled dish that allows us not to waste anything, even if it’s leftover pasta. In this case, we’re already halfway there!
In addition to the classic version with sauce, there are countless combinations, especially for white baked pasta, my favorite!
We can prepare, for example, vegetarian or vegan baked pasta.
In this case, for the béchamel sauce, use plant-based milk (unsweetened and unflavored) and oil (instead of butter). For the seasoning, you can choose only vegetables, even based on the season. For example, zucchini (or broccoli) and mushrooms, peas, mushrooms, and carrots, pumpkin, and mushrooms, etc. Or, for a still vegan version reminiscent of the classic ragù, we can season the pasta with vegan lentil ragù.
Today, my proposal is a white baked pasta, without sauce, with cooked ham, mushrooms, and mozzarella. And to finish, homemade béchamel, another must-have ingredient for this typical dish!
Baked pasta is truly comforting, so let’s see together what we need to prepare my white pasta timbale.
Other tasty recipes for baked pasta lovers!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Bain-marie, Stove, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- Half teaspoon salt
- to taste pepper
- 14 oz pasta (any shape you like)
- 3 mozzarellas
- 14 oz mushrooms (mixed or champignon or porcini)
- to taste parsley
- 1 clove garlic
- A few tablespoons olive oil
- 9 oz cooked ham (sliced or cubed)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- to taste salt
Tools
- Saucepan
- Hand Whisk
- Small Pot
- Frying Pan
- Baking Dish
- Ladle
- Parchment Paper
- Grater
- Colander
Steps
First, we need to prepare the béchamel. Those who are lactose intolerant can use unsweetened plant-based milk (500 g) and olive oil (40 g).
Melt the butter in a bain-marie on the stove or for a few seconds in the microwave.
Then pour it into a larger saucepan, and off the heat, gradually add the flour.
To prevent lumps from forming, stir immediately and vigorously using a hand whisk.
You’ll get a kind of cream with a light brown color called white roux.
At this point, you need to add the COLD whole milk. Start with a few tablespoons and mix quickly.
Then, return the saucepan to the heat on low flame and incorporate all the remaining milk while continuously stirring.
Adjust with salt and pepper and, if you like, add nutmeg, which goes very well!
Now cook the béchamel for about 10 minutes until it reaches the right consistency.
Once ready, cover with cling film to prevent an annoying skin from forming!
Pour a couple of tablespoons of oil into a pan and sauté a clove of garlic without burning it.
Then add the mushrooms that have been previously cleaned and sliced. You can use mixed mushrooms, only porcini, or only champignon.
Meanwhile, while the mushrooms are cooking, boil the pasta in plenty of salted water (choose the shape you prefer).
Be sure to drain it al dente and quickly pass it under cold water to stop the cooking.
Toss the pasta with a couple of tablespoons of oil and mix well, this will prevent the pasta from sticking.
Once the mushrooms are cooked, add a generous handful of fresh parsley, then combine them with the pasta and mix well.
We’re almost there! Roughly chop the cooked ham (if you prefer, you can also use diced ham).
Slice the mozzarella. If you prefer, you can replace it with smoked provola or other stringy cheeses.
Take a sufficiently large baking dish, line it with parchment paper, and lightly grease the bottom.
Create the first layer of pasta, then add some cooked ham, mozzarella, and a few tablespoons of béchamel.
A good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a bit of pepper. Continue making layers until the ingredients are finished.
Let everything gratinate in a preheated static oven (or ventilated) at 180°F, until the pasta is golden and crispy.
And finally, you can bring your delicious baked pasta with cooked ham and mushrooms to the table!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know if you try it!
Article protected by copyright © – Gabriella Geroni © All Rights Reserved
FAQ
How can I store baked pasta?
You can put it in airtight containers and store it in the fridge for up to two days.
Can I freeze baked pasta?
Yes, but only if you’ve chosen only fresh ingredients. For example, if you’ve used frozen cheese, vegetables, or other ingredients, the baked pasta cannot be frozen. This rule applies to any preparation, be it sweet or savory. Never forget this EVER!
How can I reheat leftover baked pasta without drying it out?
If the baked pasta was sauced, you can heat a pan and add a couple of tablespoons of sauce to the bottom. If not available, olive oil or even water can be used. Insert the pasta and heat on low flame with a lid for about 5-6 minutes. Or in a static oven at 180°F (not ventilated because it dries out too much) for about ten minutes. If the pasta is seasoned white, you can add milk or even butter. Those with a microwave or steam oven will find it easier because in just a few seconds they can heat it up.
