Two-Layer Baked Pasta

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

104 people added this to their Recipe Box

This recipe makes 8 servings

Nutritional Info
Per each of 8 servings: about	-
cal	533533 cal
pro	27 g27g pro
total fat	20 g20g total fat
sat. fat	10 g10g sat. fat
carb	63 g63g carb
fibre	7 g7g fibre
chol	61 mg61mg chol
sodium	1,216 mg1,216mg sodium
% RDI:	-
calcium	3333 calcium
iron	3232 iron
vit A	7575 vit A
vit C	4343 vit C
folate	7474 folate

Two layers of pasta with a red tomato sausage sauce and a white béchamel sauce make a visually interesting baked pasta that's easier than lasagna and perfect for relaxed entertaining.

Ingredients

5 5cups cupsScoobi-Do pasta, (cavatappi) pasta (1 lb/500 g)
1 1pkg (10 oz/284 g) pkg (10 oz/284 g)fresh spinach, trimmed
1 1 can (14 oz/398 mL) can (14 oz/398 mL) artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and halved
1-1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese 1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsshredded fontina cheese or mozzarella cheese
Sausage Sauce:
12 oz mild Italian sausages 12 12oz ozmild Italian sausagemild Italian sausages or spicy Italian sausage
1 onion , chopped1 1oniononions, chopped
2 cloves garlic , minced2 2cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot , finely diced1 1carrotcarrots, finely diced
1 celery stalk , finely diced1 1celery stalkcelery stalks, finely diced
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano 1-1/2 1-1/2tsp tspdried oregano
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper 1/4 1/4tsp tspeach salt and pepper
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes 1 1can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste 1/4 1/4cup cuptomato paste
Bechamel Sauce:
2 tbsp butter 2 2tbsp tbspbutter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 1/4cup cupall-purpose flour
2-1/4 cups milk 2-1/4 2-1/4cups cupsmilk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 1/4cup cupgrated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt 1/4 1/4tsp tspsalt
1 Pinch pepper 1 1Pinch Pinchpepper
1 Pinch nutmeg 1 1Pinch Pinchnutmeg

Preparation

Sausage Sauce:
Remove casings from sausage. In large skillet, cook sausages over medium-high heat, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off fat.

Add onion, garlic, carrot, celery, oregano, salt and pepper to pan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until spoon scraped across bottom of pan leaves gap that fills in slowly, about 25 minutes.

béchamel Sauce:
Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Add milk, 1/2 cup (125 mL) at a time, whisking constantly; cook, whisking, until bubbly and thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Coarsely chop spinach and add to pot; drain.

Arrange half of the pasta mixture in 13- x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish. Spoon sausage sauce over top; sprinkle with artichoke hearts. Top with remaining pasta mixture. Pour béchamel sauce over top; sprinkle with Fontina cheese. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes; chill in refrigerator. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Or wrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks; thaw in refrigerator and add about 10 minutes to baking time.)

Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven until bubbly and golden, about 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: May 2003