Jalapenos Cheesy Bake with Vetta Penne

Jalapenos Cheesy Bake with Vetta Penne

Prep time: 20min  Cooking time: 15 minutes  Serves 6-8

 

  • 500g Vetta Penne
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 5 tablespoons plain flour
  • 2 1/2 cups full cream milk
  • 2 cups grated cheese (cheddar or other melting cheese)
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder (optional)
  • 1/2 cup Panko crumbs or your choice of breadcrumb
  • Pickled jalepeno for a generous garnish
  1. Heat oven to 190°C and grease a 22.5cm x 33cm baking dish with a little butter.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the Penne with some salt.  Cook until pasta is al dente,  drain and set aside.
  3. While pasta is draining, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. While continually stirring with a whisk, add the flour and stir until the mixture thickens to form a smooth, thick paste.  Take off the heat while preparing the milk in the next step.
  4. In a separate pot or bowl in the microwave, warm the milk on a low heat, making sure it doesn’t boil over.
  5. Put the mixture back on the stovetop on a low heat and slowly pour the milk into it while whisking to create a thick sauce without any lumps.  If the sauce seems too thick you can add a little extra milk gradually to obtain the right consistency.
  6. Continue cooking the sauce over medium heat until it has noticeably thickened and clings to the back of a spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir slowly while the sauce thickens, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. 
  7. Turn the stove top off and remove the pot. Stir in salt and mustard if chosen and gradually stir in the cheese.
  8. Transfer the cooked pasta to a big mixing bowl and pour the sauce over the pasta and gently mix ensuring all pasta is coated with the sauce.
  9. Next, transfer out the pasta into the baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with panko crumbs.
  10. Place the casserole in the oven and bake until the pasta is bubbly and (take this part out) the top is golden approximately, take out the comma 10 to 15 minutes
  11. Garnish with jalepeno's to taste.