Florentine Pasta Bake


Pasta  is a staple food of Italy and Florence is a region in Italy, so Florentine refers to the style of cooking from this region. Florentine dishes require spinach as one of the main ingredients.

In Florentine pasta bake, stir fried spinach is combined with white sauce. You may use bechamel sauce or mornay sauce, I have used a plain white sauce. Cooked pasta is then combined with this sauce. This mixture is then spread into a baking dish; topped up with 2 to 3 types of cheese, bread crumbs and then baked.

Here goes the recipe.

Measurement: 1 cup = 180 ml
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
  1. Penne / chifferi pasta or elbow macaroni - 1 cup
  2. Spinach leaves (washed and chopped) - 2 cups
  3. Onion (chopped) - 1 small 
  4. Garlic  (chopped) - 4 to 5 cloves
  5. Mixed herbs - 1 tsp
  6. Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
  7. Processed cheese (grated) - 1 to 2 cubes
  8. Ricotta / cottage cheese (paneer) - 1/3 cup grated
  9. Mozzarella cheese (grated) - as per your requirement
  10. Bread crumbs - 1 tbsp
  11. Olive oil / refined oil -  2 tsp
  12. Salt to taste
  13. White sauce
For the White Sauce:

  • Maida - 1 heaped tbsp
  • Milk - 250 ml
  • Butter - 1 tbsp
  • White / Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Salt
Procedure:
  • Prepare white sauce and keep aside.
  • Cook pasta as per packet instructions and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add onion and garlic. Stir fry till onion turns translucent. 
  • Add spinach and stir fry for 2 to 3 min.
  • Sprinkle little salt.
  • Add mixed herbs and pepper powder. 
  • Add white sauce and stir well.
  • Add pasta to it and mix well. 
  • Cook for 1 to 2 min.
  • Check the taste for salt.
  • Grease the baking dish with butter or oil and transfer pasta to it.
  • Spread ricotta or cottage cheese over it. 
  • Spread precessed cheese.
  • Now, spread mozzarella cheese.
  • Finally, sprinkle bread crumbs.
  • Bake it in a preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius for 20 to 30 min or till cheese turns golden brown. Let it stand for 2 min.
  • Serve hot.

For the White Sauce:
  • Boil milk and keep it aside
  • Melt butter in a thick bottomed pan.
  • Add maida to it and stir fry till it gives out aroma.
  • Let it cool.
  • Add boiled milk to it.
  • Whisk it and bring it to boil by stirring continuously.
  • Add pepper powder and salt, stir well.



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