​Easy Pasta and Broccoli Bake

​Easy Pasta and Broccoli Bake
09/12/2018
This fast veggie dish can be prepared in 20 minutes, giving you time to spend the rest of the evening doing exactly what you please. It’s cheesy, easy, and rumor has it, rather delicious! 

Prep & Cook Time: 20 minutes
Skill Level: Easy
Serves: 4

Ingredients needed:
  • 14oz penne pasta
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 8oz broccoli head stalks chopped and florets halved
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 7oz pot half fat crème fraîche
  • 3 5oz grated mature cheddar small handful parsley leaves, chopped
  • 4 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs (or put 1 slice crustless white bread through a food processor)
  • 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs or thyme

Let's get cooking:
  • Get started by preparing the vegetables. Roughly chop the red onion, slice the mushrooms, remove the stalks and florets from the broccoli and chop and halve them.In a pan of lightly salted boiling water, cook the pasta, onion and broccoli stalks together for 7 minutes. Add the florets and cook for a further 3 mins. 
  • Reserve 400ml of the water, then drain the pasta and vegetables.Return the reserved water to the pan and dissolve the stock cube.
  • Whisk in the mustard, crème fraîche and season to taste. 
  • Bring the pan back to the boil and stir in the drained pasta, vegetables, half of the cheese and the parsley.Mix until melted.Heat the grill for 3 mins. Tip the pasta and vegetables into a shallow, ovenproof dish. Mix together the remaining cheese, breadcrumbs and herbs, then scatter on top.
  • Stand the dish on the base of a grill pan and grill for about 3 mins, turning if it starts to brown. Keep watching so the top doesn’t start to burn or the cheese will toughen. Remove and leave to stand for 5 mins before serving.