Pasta al Forno (Baked Pasta)

Ingredients

Servings

4 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 12 14 16

US / METRIC

3

Italian Pork Sausages with Fennel

1.1 lb

Rigatoni

2 heads

Medium Broccoli

as needed

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

3 sprigs

Fresh Rosemary

to taste

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Ball , cubed

to taste

Parmesan Cheese

3 Tbsp

Butter

1/3 cup

All-Purpose Flour

2 cups

Milk

1 pinch

Ground Nutmeg

to taste

Salt

Cooking Instructions

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Step 1

Peel the skin off the Italian Pork Sausages with Fennel (3) and break down the mince into small balls.

Step 2

Cut the Broccoli (2 heads) into small pieces and boil them for around 15 minutes.

Step 3

Melt Butter (3 Tbsp) in a pan and add All-Purpose Flour (1/3 cup) then whisk well to ensure you minimise lumps. Begin to stir in Milk (2 cups) add small amount at a time over heat​. Add Ground Nutmeg (1 pinch) and keep whisking and adding milk until it becomes creamy. Leave to the side.

Step 4

Put a frying pan on the stove at a medium heat. Add Fresh Rosemary (3 sprigs) and using a wooden spoon, mix it through Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (as needed) and around the pan so it infuses. Remove the rosemary.

Step 5

Add the broccoli into the pan, letting them sauté until they become really soft and squash them down with a wooden spoon. Add the mini sausage balls.

Step 6

In the meantime, bring 5 liter of water to the boil and add Salt (to taste) before finally adding the pasta. Cook the Rigatoni (1.1 lb) 2 minutes less than the recommended time so it is still al dente and then strain the water out.

Step 7

Using the deep pot you cooked the pasta in, add some broccoli and sausage mix then add a few layers of pasta, another generous amount of the broccoli and repeat until you finish both. Mix well. Add some béchamel through and mix together so there are no big lumps.

Step 8

Spoon out the pasta mixture onto a baking tray creating a layer. Add some béchamel sauce through the middle along with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Ball (to taste) . Create another layer and once again add béchamel and mozzarella.

Step 9

Grate Parmesan Cheese (to taste) over the top, smothering the pasta. Cook it in the oven for 5 minutes at 430 degrees F (220 degrees C).