Pasta Bake

figsfortea · 04-02-2012, 13:04

Any ideas for making a pasta bake, using fresh ingredients, and without using sauce mixes or jars (like Homepride, for example)?

missymorgan · 04-02-2012, 13:21

I don't really do much pasta but I'd perhaps fry off onion, garlic, maybe peppers, add tinned chopped toms or passata, bit of cream if you fancy it, chilli flakes or cayenne pepper if you fancy a kick. Pour over cooked pasta and grate on cheese. Cook in oven until cheese has melted.

You could put shredded cooked chicken or ham in if you want some meat?

angel10578 · 04-02-2012, 13:56

You could make your own cheese sauce - butter, flour, milk and grated cheese and maybe throw in some dried mixed herbs
Add anything you like to it - chopped ham, bacon, mushrooms, peppers, spring onions etc

I make a really nice sauce for pasta, although i don't bake it i do it on the hob but i guess you could bake it with the pasta..... I use soured cream, dried tarragon, dried thyme and a spoonful of marmite. All mixed into mushrooms, onions and quite a bit of chopped garlic softened in butter - it's delicious!
And i don't like marmite!

figsfortea · 04-02-2012, 14:17

Mmmmm! Two super ideas, can't wait to try them, thanks. I do quite a bit of cooking, well mainly baking, but I've always followed a recipe and not been much for experimenting, but I think you've inspired me to have a go.

boolaa · 05-02-2012, 21:27

I make two sorts of pasta bake. The first is a tuna and sweetcorn bake. Mix cooked pasta with 2 tins of Campbells condensed mushroom (or chicken) soup, as a tin of sweetcorn and two tins of tuna, top with cheese and bake...very yummy! If you don't want to use the tinned soup (as you said you don't want to use sauce mixes or jars!) make a white sauce and add fried mushrooms and onions to it and use instead. I've made it this way and it's extra yummy with some full fat soft cheese mixed into the sauce.

My other pasta dish is a sauce made from fried finely diced smoky bacon, onions and garlic mixed with Campbells condensed tomato soup (omit this if you don't want to use!) two tins of tomatoes chopped and tomato puree. I make the sauce and simmer it a bit to let the flavours develop and stir into the pasta, top with cheese and bake. Sometime I add chunks of sausage (cooked!) or even chopped up frankfurters (adds more lovely smoky flavor!) Cherry tomatoues are also yummy chopped into this or as a topping with the cheese.

Both nice tasty cheap meals and the tomato pasta one tastes even nicer if you have it again after making it the day before

04-02-2012, 13:04	#1
figsfortea Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 97	Pasta Bake Any ideas for making a pasta bake, using fresh ingredients, and without using sauce mixes or jars (like Homepride, for example)?

04-02-2012, 13:21	#2
missymorgan Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 490	I don't really do much pasta but I'd perhaps fry off onion, garlic, maybe peppers, add tinned chopped toms or passata, bit of cream if you fancy it, chilli flakes or cayenne pepper if you fancy a kick. Pour over cooked pasta and grate on cheese. Cook in oven until cheese has melted. You could put shredded cooked chicken or ham in if you want some meat?

04-02-2012, 13:56	#3
angel10578 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 144	You could make your own cheese sauce - butter, flour, milk and grated cheese and maybe throw in some dried mixed herbs Add anything you like to it - chopped ham, bacon, mushrooms, peppers, spring onions etc I make a really nice sauce for pasta, although i don't bake it i do it on the hob but i guess you could bake it with the pasta..... I use soured cream, dried tarragon, dried thyme and a spoonful of marmite. All mixed into mushrooms, onions and quite a bit of chopped garlic softened in butter - it's delicious! And i don't like marmite!

04-02-2012, 14:17	#4
figsfortea Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 97	Mmmmm! Two super ideas, can't wait to try them, thanks. I do quite a bit of cooking, well mainly baking, but I've always followed a recipe and not been much for experimenting, but I think you've inspired me to have a go.

05-02-2012, 21:27	#5
boolaa Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: County Durham Posts: 686	I make two sorts of pasta bake. The first is a tuna and sweetcorn bake. Mix cooked pasta with 2 tins of Campbells condensed mushroom (or chicken) soup, as a tin of sweetcorn and two tins of tuna, top with cheese and bake...very yummy! If you don't want to use the tinned soup (as you said you don't want to use sauce mixes or jars!) make a white sauce and add fried mushrooms and onions to it and use instead. I've made it this way and it's extra yummy with some full fat soft cheese mixed into the sauce. My other pasta dish is a sauce made from fried finely diced smoky bacon, onions and garlic mixed with Campbells condensed tomato soup (omit this if you don't want to use!) two tins of tomatoes chopped and tomato puree. I make the sauce and simmer it a bit to let the flavours develop and stir into the pasta, top with cheese and bake. Sometime I add chunks of sausage (cooked!) or even chopped up frankfurters (adds more lovely smoky flavor!) Cherry tomatoues are also yummy chopped into this or as a topping with the cheese. Both nice tasty cheap meals and the tomato pasta one tastes even nicer if you have it again after making it the day before

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Pasta Bake