Pasta Bakes - recipe ideas?

Horasio

I parboil the pasta
Use own brand garlic & herb cream cheese, low fat
Glass of white wine
Any par cooked veggies I have lying around

Mix together

Top with grated cheese and a sprinkle of seeds on top

Bake for 30 minutes

greengrass

I have wrote some of these down and will have a go, thanks everyone for the ideas.

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

Hi there, I need some help as I'm not a good cook & just tend to throw things in & hope for the best.

I need to use up 1/2 litre of milk as it's at it's use by date.

After looking around here & using google, I've decided to do a pasta bake - never done one before.
The protein is going to be some salmon fillets I've got in the freezer & the veg are going to be carrots that I prepared last night & some broccolli. The sauce is going to be flour/milk/cheese/black pepper. I am going to cook everything first then combine & bake.

Does this sound ok? Or will it be a sloppy mess with no flavour?
Can I freeze 1/2 for again - if so at what stage ie before or after the baking part?
Will the milk freeze well since it's at it's use by date?
How much flour will i need for 1/2 litre of milk?
Will any other ingredients make it nicer - I've got peppers, onions, garlic & (hopefully?) usual store cupboard things as well as pesto, philly, thick balsamic stuff.

Thanks

redruby

Hi,

I think I would make up a white sauce, butter flour and milk, I never measure, but a knob of butter, about the same flour and 1/2 pint milk, I bung it all in a saucepan at the same time and heat slowly untill it thickens.

In a frying pan, fry off your onion garlic peppers, and anything else you may have, grill the salmon, cook the pasta. Then combine cooked pasta, and onions etc, flake the salmon in and mix together, pour white sauce over, put some grated cheese on the top and bake , voila, nice easy meal, enjoy.

any left overs will freeze ok

hth

Sue

botchjob

Hello

Your method sounds fine. For half a litre of milk I’d use ‘about’ a heaped dessertspoon of flour and heaped teaspoon of butter (if you have scales, the butter and flour should weigh the same). You might also try poaching the salmon in the milk first for 3 or 4 mins (doesn’t need to be completely cooked through as will go in the oven), and then using the milk to make the sauce. Will taste better that way. Chuck in a bay leaf if you have one.

Also, make sure all the individual elements are properly seasoned before you put them together and put in the oven, otherwise it’s likely to be bland.

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

Thanks for all the tips. Just about to go start now. Can't poach the fish unfortunately as it's frozen & needs to be done in the oven but will try this if there's a next time! Think i'm going to add some onions or peppers for a bit more flavour.

PS a big hello & welcome to MSE botchjob! :j

Penelope_Penguin

Hello, WBH :beer: Hope your tea is/was scrummy

We have an older thread on pasta bakes, so I'll add your question to that to keep suggestions together.

Penny. x

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

Thanks for the help everyone. It turned out nice but could have done with more parmesan for flavour & with cooking the pasta & veg a bit less. Have read through some of the earlier posts in the (now merged) thread though & will be giving it a go again so thanks for all the ideas :T