Social Media Deputy Editor Claudia Cox’s mum developed this super adaptable pasta bake recipe because it was easy to tailor to her children’s fussy eating preferences while sneaking in their 5-a-day. This recipe is for one serving, but it’s easy to multiply by the number of mouths you’re feeding.
Pasta à la Polly
Claudia's favourite pasta dish from her mum's kitchen
Ingredients
- 60 grams penne pasta
- 3 broccoli florets
- 3 cauliflower flourets
- 1 leek
- 3 mushrooms
- 1 portion chicken or salmon cooked
- 25 grams plain flour
- 300 grams milk
- 1 veg stock cube
- black pepper and nutmeg to taste
- grated cheese and breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Cook approximately 60g penne pasta. Steam broccoli and cauliflower. Retain the steaming water from the pan. Put the pasta and vegetables into a large oven proof dish.
- Melt 25g butter in a non-stick pan. Add 1 leek, sauté for about 5 mins, then add 3 sliced mushrooms. Sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add 25g plain flour and keep stirring gently. Add 300ml milk (warming the milk in the microwave for a bit before you add it will make this quicker).
- Add the water you set aside from steaming the veg, the vegetable stock cube, and a bit of black pepper and nutmeg. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes.
- Pour over the pasta and vegetables in the dish and mix. Add the cooked chicken/salmon/tofu. Sprinkle cheese and breadcrumbs over the top.
- Cook at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the top is brown and crispy.