Baked pasta casseroles
By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen
Irresistable baked pasta dishes like our Three Cheese Rotollo or the Alfredo-Style Baked Shells with Peas, Parmesan and Pancetta.
Menu
- Chimichurri Chicken
- Black Bean Sausage Soup
- Roasted Pepper and Spinach Pasta
- Balsamic Grilled Red Onions
- Barbecued Stuffed Tomatoes
- Garlic Bread with Cheese
- Mocha Ice Cream
- Citrus Zabaglione
- Nectarine Saute
- Lemon Plum Compote
Suggested Recipes
- Candy Store Cupcakes
- Strawberry Blossom Cupcakes
- Rocky Road Cupcakes
- Easy Butter Icing
- Seven-Minute Frosting
- Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
- Easy Vanilla Cupcakes
- Berries and Chocolate Cupcakes
- Maple Chili Snack Mix
- Apricot Almond Energy Bars
Special occasion
Three Cheese Rotollo
Photography by Edward Pond
The cheese is often the best part of rich, homey baked pasta dishes, like the ones below. Here are some of the best Canadian cheeses for the job.
1. Shredding Cheeses
These mild to sharp firm cheeses, including Canadian mozzarella, provolone and friulano, are easy to shred with a box grater and produce a fabulously stringy melted topping.
2. Grating Cheeses
Hard cheeses such as Canadian Parmesan are terrific for heightening the flavours in pasta dishes. Stir them into cream sauces, fresh cheese fillings or bread crumb toppings. While you can purchase grated Parmesan, it’s extra nice to buy a chunk and freshly grate it yourself. Save the rind to simmer in tomato sauce, minestrone or risotto.
3. Filling Cheeses
Fresh cheeses, including Canadian ricotta, are very soft, creamy and mild, making them perfect for stuffing in cannelloni or layering between lasagna sheets. They pair beautifully with rich cream or simple tomato sauces.
Recipes
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Three-Cheese Rotollo with White Sauce
This fun twist on cheese manicotti is equally delicious with red or white sauce. The recipe makes two pans and freezes beautifully. -
Simple Tomato Sauce
The key to this simple, tasty sauce is using good-quality tomatoes, such as the San Marzano variety. This recipe makes double the amount of sauce you ... -
Basic White Sauce
We made this rich and creamy béchamel sauce a little on the thin side so that our baked pastas would stay saucy. -
Veal and Spinach Cannelloni
This recipe is a bit labour-intensive, but it makes two pans – one to eat tonight and another that freezes beautifully for another time. -
Beef and Mozzarella Baked Rotini
In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; sauté onion and garlic until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add beef; cook, breaking up... -
Alfredo-Style Baked Shells with Peas, Parmesan and Pancetta
In skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat; fry bread crumbs, stirring, until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes. Add 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the Parmesan...






