Baked Pasta Basta on stove and oven

Even if Pasta is an Italian dish, baked pasta is a twist that deshi people invented. Many of us love baked pasta more than regular pasta. It needs quite a lot of ingredients but the method is pretty simple and it tastes even better than you have eaten in the restaurants. You can get as creative as you want while adding veggies and protein. Don't go low on the cheese and use very good quality mozzarella to get the cheese pulling effect. Use good quality oregano as well, otherwise, the pasta will taste bitter. The recipe has been divided into 4 parts to be as convenient as possible. Happy cooking!

For 8 servings

Part 1- Boiling the Pasta

Ingredients:

1) Penne Pasta-400 gm
2) Water - As needed
3) Salt -1 teaspoon
4) Oil- 2 teaspoon

Process

In a pan boil water with salt and oil. Pour your pasta in the boiling water and boil according to packet instructions. Make sure you don't over or undercook it. Strain and cool the pasta with water to stop the cooking process. Keep it aside to use later.

Part 2- Stir-frying Chicken and veggies

Ingredients:

1) Chicken Breast - 2 big pieces cut into small cubes
2) Sausage- 4 pieces cut into thin slices
3) Capsicum - 1/2 cup cut into small cubes
4) Mushroom - 2/3 can cut into thin slices
5) Paprika - 1 teaspoon
6) Oregano - 1 teaspoon
7) Black pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
8) Soya sauce - 1 tablespoon
9) Tomato sauce - 3 tablespoons
10) Butter/ Ghee - 5 tablespoons
11) Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tablespoon
12) Tastemaker - 1 packet that comes with the pasta
13) Chilly flakes - According to taste
14) Salt- According to taste

Process

Heat up the ghee/butter in the non-stick fry pan at medium heat. Add chicken, sausage, mushroom, Capsicum. Keep stirring and add all the spices and sauces mentioned in the ingredient list. You don't need to add water since the chicken itself will release water. Stir fry until the water is soaked up and everything is cooked. Taste it and adjust the spices if needed. You can add chopped naga chilly if you want.

Part 3- Making the white sauce and mixing everything together

Ingredients:

1) Butter/Ghee- 3 tablespoons
2) Finely chopped garlic- 1 tablespoon
3) Flour- 2 tablespoons
4) Liquid milk - 2 cups room temperature
5) Oregano- 1/2 teaspoon
6) Paprika- 1/2 teaspoon
7) Black pepper- 1/2 teaspoon
8) Mayonnaise - 6 tablespoons
9) Grated Mozzarella- 100gms (for sauce)
10) Salt to taste

Process

Heat up the butter/ghee in a nonstick saucepan at medium-low heat. Add chopped garlic and fry it for 30 secs. Add flour and stir fry the flour and garlic until it's golden. Be careful at this point, don't overcook. Now, add milk to the pan while stirring so that the flour doesn't get lumpy. Make sure the milk is at room temperature. After adding milk, add the spices one by one except mayonnaise. Keep stirring otherwise it will get lumpy and will burn. After the sauce thickens you will add your boiled pasta. Before adding the pasta make sure the pasta isn't sticking together. Now add mayonnaise and stir-fried chicken and veggies. Incorporate everything well together and take the pasta off the heat. You do not need to cook it, since everything is already cooked. At this point taste the pasta and check if anything needs to be added. Add anything if needed.

Part 4- Baking the pasta

Ingredients

1) Cooked Pasta Mixture
2) Grated Mozzarella- as much as you want, I took 200gms grated mozzarella for 8 bowls.

Process (For stove):

Take a deep large saucepan or casserole. I took 32 cm casserole. Place it on the stove in medium heat. Spread salt or sand on the pan to cover its bottom. Now place 2 steel stands in it. Cover the lid and preheat for 10 mins in medium heat. Make sure to cover any hole in the lid. It has to be airtight. While it's preheating, take 8 heatproof medium-sized bowls (bigger than standard single-serving soup bowls). Fill the bowls with pasta and sprinkle cheese on top. Sprinkle as much cheese as you want :P. Now place 4 bowls on the stands. If you can't adjust 4 bowls in 2 stands, it's okay. Placeless bowls inside or as many as possible. Cover the lid and bake until cheese melts. It will take 10-20 mins. On the stove, the cheese won't get brown like it does in the oven. Take your pasta out when the cheese melts and bake the other bowls as described. Sprinkle with paprika and oregano for garnish.

Process (For oven):

Preheat your oven at 180°c for 10 mins. Place your pasta filled bowls inside and bake until the cheese melts and gets golden brown in color. It will take 10-20 mins as well.

Tips and tricks

1)You can use oil instead of butter/ghee, it will be less flavourful but will not taste bad.
2)You can get creative with the spices and sauces you add. Like you can add bbq sauce in the chicken. Also, you can use beef instead of chicken. You can add baby corn/black olive/pepperoni if you want.
3) Make the white sauce very carefully. It takes very little time and constant attention. It burns very easily so don't move while making it.

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