Pasta bake is sometimes looked down upon. Too simple, too family-oriented — as if ease were a flaw. And yet, it’s exactly the kind of dish you can’t help but finish right down to the bottom of the pan.
Ingredients :
- The pasta — Choose short pasta with hollows: penne, rigatoni, macaroni. They hold the sauce inside, and that’s what makes all the difference. Avoid spaghetti — they get tangled and the sauce doesn’t cling the same way.
- The butter — Real butter, not margarine. The béchamel holds better and the taste is incomparable. 30 to 40 g is enough for four people.
- The milk — Whole milk if you can. Semi-skimmed works, but the béchamel will be slightly less creamy. Cold or at room temperature, both work.
- The cheese — This is where you have flexibility. Cheddar brings character and that appetizing orange tint. Mozzarella provides the stretch. Mix the two for the best of both worlds. Edam also works — milder, less fatty, perfect if you are cooking for sensitive palates.
