Leave it to me to start making casseroles in Italy. Southern ladies know this is a go to when making dinner in advance for lots of hungry people. Recently, we have gained the responsibility of not only preparing meals for the restaurant/hotel staff, but also the construction workers. Il Bottaccio is expanding the hotel so that there will be 8 rooms instead of 4, and they are also adding a spa. There are 8 hungry workers that need meals twice a day. Feeding these men can be quite the challenge as you need something that not only fills them up, but also gives them lots of energy. Yesterday we made Nino's recipe for a pasta bake. It is similar to carbonara pasta including peas, ham, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a creamy tomato sauce. Today I made a different pasta bake that I know they will enjoy. Here is the recipe.
Pesto Pasta Casserole
Yield: 6-8 servings
Pesto Sauce*
3 cups Béchamel Sauce (premade is fine)
3 cups cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered depending on size)
1/2 cup Olive Oil
2 cups edamer cheese diced
1 box of penne pasta (cooked according to package)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Heat béchamel sauce over medium heat. Stir in pesto sauce until well combined. Set 1 1/2 cups of mixture aside. With remaining sauce toss in cooked pasta, tomatoes, olive oil and cheese. Toss until pasta is coated and cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper according to taste. Put pasta into buttered casserole dish. Cover with pesto cheese sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Enjoy!
*To make Pesto: 2 cups of packed fresh basil leaves. 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup pine nuts, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 cup olive oil. Combine in the food processor and turn on until well mixed.
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