Cheeseboard Pasta Bake

This simple and satisfying meal tastes as good as it looks - and uses up any leftovers from your Christmas cheeseboard

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins - 30 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  840

• Protein

  55g

• Carbs

  26g

• Fat

  44g

• Saturates

  21g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  0g

• Salt

  2.61g

Ingredients

• 500g packet rigatoni
• 850ml milk
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• half a nutmeg (or ¼ tsp ready ground)
• 85g mature cheddar, or other hard cheese
• 85g dolcelatte or other blue cheese
• 85g garlic and herb cheese such as Boursin or roulé
• 200g cooked ham, chopped
• 85g mixed nuts, such as cashews, blanched almonds, and hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• a handful of parsley, roughly chopped

Directions

1. To cook the pasta, bring a large pan of water to the boil, add a generous measure of salt and tip in the pasta. Stir once and return to the boil, then boil rapidly for 12 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 170C.
2. To make the sauce, pour the milk into a pan and add the butter, flour and plenty of seasoning. Grate in the half nutmeg (or sprinkle in the ready ground). Bring to the boil over a medium heat, whisking all the time until it makes a smooth, creamy sauce.
3. Drain the pasta and tip it into the sauce. Taste and add extra seasoning if necessary. Stir in the ham and grate in the cheddar, then tip into a shallow ovenproof dish. Dice the remaining cheeses and swirl into the pasta to make cheesy pockets.
4. Mix the nuts and parsley together, then scatter over the pasta. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the nuts are golden and crunchy and everything is piping hot.

Categories: All Christmas, Dishes