Sometimes I get ideas in my head, often visions of food, that won't go away unless I try to act on them. Take this pasta for instance. I had been craving baked pasta for weeks, but was too lazy to look up a recipe, yet visions of cheesy, bubbly, hearty baked pasta were nonetheless floating around my head all weekend. Enough was enough. I had peas, mushrooms, and a huge can of my favorite marinara sauce on hand, and by golly I was going to make that pasta! I call this a recipe without a recipe because you can pretty much put anything into this dish that you like - the only continuous factor should be the pasta.
You can use cheddar, fontina, feta, Gruyere, goat, or any kind of cheese that you like. Vodka sauce, marinara, pesto, garlic and olive oil - the sauce options are varied as well! If I make this again... what am I saying? When I make this again, I may use feta cheese, spinach, garlic, and perhaps some diced chicken breast to put a Greek spin on things. Or maybe some goat cheese, caramelized onion, and asparagus for a more swanky element. Honestly, you can go anywhere with this. The best thing is that any direction you take will hopefully lead you to something delicious.
This also makes tasty leftovers... you know, if there is anything left over.
Baked Pasta with Peas and Mushrooms
8 oz. penne pasta, or any other short pasta
6 large white button mushrooms, dirt wiped off and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
3/4 cup frozen peas, no need to thaw
1 1/2 cups store-bought marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and chile flakes in a small pan over medium heat, then add half the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms have shrunk slightly, then add the rest of the mushrooms to the pan and cook until the moisture in released and they are slightly brown. Pour the 'shrooms into a medium-sized baking dish. Add the cooked pasta, peas, and marinara sauce; toss everything in the dish to combine. Fold in 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella until combined. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and the 1/4 cup parmesan over the top of the pasta. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top is crunchy and golden brown, and the edges are bubbly.
Baked Pasta with Peas and Mushrooms
8 oz. penne pasta, or any other short pasta
6 large white button mushrooms, dirt wiped off and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
3/4 cup frozen peas, no need to thaw
1 1/2 cups store-bought marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and chile flakes in a small pan over medium heat, then add half the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms have shrunk slightly, then add the rest of the mushrooms to the pan and cook until the moisture in released and they are slightly brown. Pour the 'shrooms into a medium-sized baking dish. Add the cooked pasta, peas, and marinara sauce; toss everything in the dish to combine. Fold in 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella until combined. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and the 1/4 cup parmesan over the top of the pasta. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top is crunchy and golden brown, and the edges are bubbly.
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