Pasta Bakes - recipe ideas?

nickinoodle_2

Hi all, sorry for silly question, but could someone tell me how to make chicken pasta bake? and do I use raw or cooked pasta?

Many Thanks

ells2123

I'm pretty sure you use cooked (although don't over cook it - you don't want it to be soggy!) I think when you 'bake' it thats just to heat everything up together (as opposed to cooking it) and melt the cheese!

If anyone thinks otherwise then i am happy to be corrected becasue i am certainly no expert!!

belfastgirl23

I don't eat meat at all so can't comment on the chicken element but you def cook pasta beforehand to do a pasta bake. I like to leave it in the oven for half an hour or so to let flavours blend but maybe that's just me.

OOh I'm hungry

pudding06

cooked pasta - definately dont over cook
mix with the prepared sauce - (with chicken precooked)

put in oven proof dish and cover with chesse if liked

put in oven for about 20 mins

et voila

squeaky

I think you'll find one or two recipes for pasta bakes here:

Old Style Recipes Collection

Lucie_2

In theory, you could put raw pasta in an ovenproof dish with a tin of tomatoes/jar of passata, add some water & "cook" the pasta in the watery tomato sauce. The sauce would thicken & the pasta would be cooked & you'd save on power (only oven used, not hob as well) & washing up (no pasta pan to wash).
However I've never tried it! Dried pasta is quite starchy, so you could end up with a funny tasting sauce.

Wasn't there a homepride (or similar) pasta bake jar of sauce available a few years ago that used this method?

Fivenations

Lucie wrote: »

Wasn't there a homepride (or similar) pasta bake jar of sauce available a few years ago that used this method?

I tried doing it without precooking the pasta and ended up with a stodgy mess no one would eat. It was disgusting.

MimiF

Hello,

There aren't many recipes on the net for pasta bake sadly as I alternate between that and lasagna on Wednesday nights when DS has football and it is so useful to prep ahead and have it ready when we get back. (Delia has a great recipe for a leek and bacon pasta bake though on her website which you can make in advance too.)

I usually knock up a tomato and mascarpone pasta sauce, add the bits of chicken (cooked previously) and whatever veg you fancy, sprinkle with a mixture of cheddar and pizza mozarella and there you go. I do use pasta thats been cooked but cook it for a couple of minutes less so that it's still al dente. In the past I've also used the fresh chilled egg pasta you get but not cooked and just popped it in the oven with plenty of sauce for about an hour at a low temperature. That was lovely.

Enjoy

Mimi

jovichick123

Lucie wrote: »

Wasn't there a homepride (or similar) pasta bake jar of sauce available a few years ago that used this method?

Hiya!

Homepride do have a sauce that you can use uncooked pasta with - I bought one a few months ago....

I remember that you have to put the pasta in a casserole dish, cover with sauce, top with cheese and leave in oven for 45 mins (at 200 degrees I think!).

Pasta tasted nice, was cooked and no funny tastes!

Hope this helps,

Sarah x

Heth_2

In all the recipes for pasta bake that I use you cook the pasta for half the length of time it says on the packet. That way you don't end up with a bake with really mushy pasta. Of course there is alot of personal taste in how much people like their pasta cooked anyway.

nic82

Lucie wrote: »

Wasn't there a homepride (or similar) pasta bake jar of sauce available a few years ago that used this method?

They do still make them, I have had one before . Most of the pasta cooks absolutely fine and tastes fine too but the few bits of pasta that were at the top of the dish were uncooked and very chewy.

Whenever I make HM pasta bakes, I always cook the pasta first so it is al dente and then depending on the time, I either put it under the grill with cheese/crushed crisps on then and it doesn't cook much more or, if I have a little more time, I'll actually cook it in the oven for 20mins or so, as it gives more chance for the flavours to develop.

HTH