This gratin of pasta and vegetables can be made with any type of cooked pasta; leftovers are fine. To give it eye appeal, texture and taste, blanched pieces of vegetables–carrots, celery, spinach, broccoli–are used along with leftover pieces of ham, cooked meat, or chicken. The white sauce that binds it is very thin because of the starch in the pasta, which absorbs moisture. However, you do need the sauce, even though it’s light. If you use milk instead of sauce, it will end up being too runny. (You could use a light custard–milk combined with 1 egg–in place of the sauce, if you prefer.)
Cook the pasta (unless you are using already cooked leftovers) in 3 quarts of boiling salted water until it is tender but not mushy. The time will vary, depending on the type of pasta. Drain the pasta in a colander, and rinse quickly under cold water to stop cooking, drain well
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 – 60 minutes
Serves 6.
3 – 4 C cooked and drained pasta
3/4 C zucchini, cut into 1/2″ dice
3/4 C diced broccoli, blanched in boiling water for 3 minutes and drained
1/2 C ham, cut into 1/4″ dice
1/3 C grated American or cheddar cheese
White Sauce
1 T butter
1 T flour
2 1/2 C milk
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook on medium heat for about 1 minute. (Notice that the roux gets slightly grainy and beige.) Add the cold milk, salt and pepper, and mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with the whisk, being sure to go in the corners where it tends to stick. Boil for about 15 to 20 seconds.
2. In a 6-cup gratin dish, combine the cooked and drained pasta with the vegetables and ham. Pour the sauce on top. Stir the mixture with a fork so that the sauce mixes with the pasta, and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
3. Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 40 to 45 minutes until the mixture is puffy and nicely browned. Serve right away.
My Recipe Collection 