Serpentelli with vegetables and cheese
I first tried this recipe after seeing it on Ela68, because I love baked pasta with lots of vegetables. I combine everything I have in the fridge, but the ingredient list here is quite long and clear. Sometimes I also add turkey or chicken, but the original recipe is just with vegetables and cheese. I’ve tried making a double portion, but a normal amount turns out better in a 20 cm ceramic dish. Quick Info Total time: about 1 hour Preparation time: 25 minutes Baking time: 20 minutes Servings: 3-4 (20 cm ceramic dish) Difficulty: medium Recipe suitable for lunch or dinner; it’s quite quick to make, but I don’t recommend keeping it for the next day. Ingredients 200 g serpentelli pasta (optional) 300 g turkey or chicken, minced or cut into small cubes 2 small carrots 1 onion 50 g butter + 1 tablespoon butter for greasing the dish 6 medium champignon mushrooms 1/2 red bell pepper 1/2 yellow bell pepper 4-5 small broccoli florets 200 ml cooking cream + an additional 100 ml (total 300 ml) 150 ml milk 3 egg yolks 50 g frozen corn (optional) 150 g Swiss cheese (or Delaco cheese, if you can’t find Emmental) a few sprigs of parsley salt and pepper to taste Preparation Method 1. Boil the pasta in salted water for about 2-3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package (I usually leave them for about 6 minutes). They should remain slightly firm, as they will continue to cook in the oven. 2. If you're adding meat, first sauté it in 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Cook until the liquid evaporates and it starts to brown. Once done, remove the meat and cover it to keep it from drying out. 3. In the same pan, finely chop the onion and sauté it in 50 g of butter over medium heat. Cook until it becomes translucent. 4. Slice the mushrooms and add them to the onion. Increase the heat slightly at first to evaporate the moisture from the mushrooms. 5. Cut the carrots into thin sticks or slices so they cook quickly. Slice the bell peppers into strips, and the broccoli florets should be small. Add everything to the mushrooms. If you want to add frozen corn, do it now. I sometimes skip the corn, not because it’s not good, but because it can add a sweet note that not everyone in the family enjoys. 6. Stir the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes until they soften. Try not to let them brown too much, just enough to become slightly tender. 7. Add 200 ml of cooking cream and let everything simmer on low heat until the sauce starts to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. The cream can curdle if it’s too thin, so avoid stirring over high heat. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper. 8. While the vegetables are cooking, grate the cheese. 9. In a bowl, mix the 3 egg yolks with the remaining 100 ml of cream, 150 ml of milk, the grated cheese, and the chopped parsley. It’s easier to beat the yolks with the cream first, then pour in the milk and finally mix in the cheese and parsley. 10. Preheat the oven to 300°C. It may seem high, but for pasta with lots of vegetables and sauce, a high temperature is needed to create a crust quickly. 11. Grease the baking dish with butter (I use a tablespoon of butter, spread with my hand or a brush). 12. Mix the pasta with the vegetables and (if you added it) the meat. Combine everything directly in the pan to ensure it’s well coated with sauce. 13. Pour the entire mixture into the baking dish and level it out. 14. Pour the egg, cream, and cheese mixture on top. Gently shake the dish a few times to allow the sauce to penetrate the pasta. 15. Bake for about 20 minutes until it forms a golden crust on top. It shouldn’t dry out, just be browned and the sauce should set. 16. Serve immediately, hot. Why I make this recipe often I love it because it’s hearty and rich. I use a lot of vegetables, and if I have leftover meat in the fridge, I can easily incorporate it. It also helps that I don’t need fancy ingredients. I’ve tried saving it for the next day, but the texture isn’t as pleasant, so I prefer to make just enough for one meal. Tips and Variations Tips Don’t exceed the recommended amount of pasta, or the mixture won’t fit and will dry out in the oven. If you don’t have Emmental cheese, regular cheese works well, but it should be a firmer type. It’s best to cut the vegetables thinly so they cook quickly and evenly. Preheat the oven well beforehand so the dish doesn’t stay in there too long. Substitutions The meat is completely optional; the recipe works very well without it. You can swap the vegetables based on what you have in the fridge, but try to keep roughly the same volume, or the sauce won’t thicken properly. If you don’t have serpentelli pasta, penne or fusilli will also work, but they should still be short. Variations Without meat: it’s just as tasty, and the texture of the vegetables remains clearer. You can add a tablespoon of grated Parmesan to the cheese mixture for a more intense flavor. It also works with larger mushrooms, cut into big pieces, for a more pronounced texture. Serving Ideas It’s best enjoyed hot, either on its own or with a side salad. For a quick meal, it can also serve as a main dish for lunch. Frequently Asked Questions Can I use a different type of pasta instead of serpentelli? Yes, any short pasta (penne, fusilli, rigatoni) works well. Avoid long pasta, as it won’t mix evenly with the sauce and vegetables. Can I store the recipe in the fridge and reheat it the next day? You can, but the texture won’t be as good – the pasta becomes softer, and the sauce dries out a bit. If you do want to keep it, reheat the portion in the oven, covered, with a little added milk. What can I substitute for Emmental if I can’t find it? You can use regular cheese, as firm as possible, or Gouda. I’ve also tried classic Delaco, and it worked well. Is it necessary to add corn? No, it’s optional. You can skip it if you don’t like the slightly sweet taste. Can I use 12% cream? Yes, but be careful to add it over low heat to prevent curdling. If you use cream with a higher fat content, the risk is lower. Nutritional Values (estimate) A serving (out of four, without meat) has approximately 350-400 kcal, with 15-18 g of protein, 17-20 g of fat, and 35-40 g of carbohydrates. If you add meat, the protein content increases by about 8-10 g per serving. The total caloric value greatly depends on the type of cheese and cream used. Storage and Reheating I recommend consuming it on the day it’s made. If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge in a covered container for no more than 24 hours. When reheating, add a little milk or cream, cover with foil, and bake for 10-15 minutes at 180°C. However, the texture will be softer compared to when it’s fresh out of the oven.
Preparation
1. Boil the pasta with salt for about 6 minutes, less than the total boiling time indicated on the package. In the oven, they will hydrate sufficiently. Optional: in a large pan, sauté the minced meat in 1-2 tablespoons of oil until the juices evaporate. Remove it to a deep plate and cover with a lid. 2. Chop the onion finely and sauté it in butter in the same pan until it becomes translucent. 3. Add the cleaned and sliced mushrooms. I wanted to prioritize the carrot because it takes longer to cook, but I remembered to cut it into strips, so I added the rest in the next step as they are tender and cook quickly. 4. Cut the bell pepper into strips, the carrot into strips, and the broccoli into small florets. Add them to the pan. You can also add corn now if you wish. I didn’t add corn, as there were already many vegetables; it would probably enhance the flavor, but my family was afraid it would add a sweet note. 5. When they have softened (after a maximum of 10 minutes), add 200 ml of sour cream and let it boil until the sauce starts to thicken (about 3-5 minutes; there is a risk of the sour cream curdling, depending on its type). Adjust with salt and pepper. 6. While they are boiling, grate the Swiss cheese on a fine grater. 7. Separately, mix the egg yolks with the remaining sour cream (100 g), add the milk, Swiss cheese, and finely chopped parsley. 8. Preheat the oven to 300°C. 9. Grease a heat-resistant dish with butter. 10. Add the pasta to the vegetables and mix well. Pour them into the baking dish. 11. Pour the egg and sour cream mixture on top and gently shake the dish to settle. 12. Bake for about 20 minutes until a golden crust forms. Serve hot. Enjoy your meal! I prepared one and a half times the quantity in a dish like in the pictures, of 2.5 liters, but it was too much. A ceramic dish with a diameter of 20 cm is sufficient.
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