Penne Au Gratin Recipes

GRATIN OF PENNE, TURKEY, AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Position rack in top third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms and thyme; sauté until mushrooms are tender and dark brown, about 12 minutes. Add pasta, gravy, 1 cup cheese, and cream to mushroom mixture; stir to blend. Mix in turkey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake gratin until sauce is bubbling around edges and tips of pasta are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes and serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PENNE WITH CHICKEN, BACON AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 13x9 pan liberally with non-stick spray. Start a pot of 5 qt water with liberal salt for the penne.
• Cook bacon until crisp over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Drain bacon over paper towels and reserve 3 TBSP fat in pan.
• Salt and pepper chicken pieces. Cook chicken breast pieces in the bacon fat for about 4 minutes, until no longer pink in the center. Reserve chicken and tent with foil.
• Add enough olive oil to coat pan; add squash, salt, pepper and sage. Cover pan and stir occasionally for 5-7 minutes, until squash is semi-soft. Add onion and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add garlic, red pepper, and spinach to skillet and cook until spinach is wilted, 3-4 minutes.
• Do not cook your penne until al dente; it will continue to cook in the oven. Only cook for about 7 minutes.
• In a seperate saucepan cook flour over medium heat, gradually adding milk and whisking continuously until boiling. Boil for two minutes or until thickened; remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until melted.
• Add flour/milk/cheese mixture to pasta; add pasta to squash mixture. Stir in the cooked chicken and crumbled bacon. Add more milk if mixture is too thick. Spread mixture into 13x9 pan; sprinkle more cheese on top if desired. Cook in oven 15-20 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbling. Let cool for 10-15 minutes; serve.

PEPIN'S PENNE, HAM AND VEGETABLE GRATIN

Steps:

• Boil about 2 quarts of water. Add penne and cook about 12 minutes until al dente (slightly firm). Drain and cool under cold water.
• Put cooked penne into a large bowl and stir in the ham, corn, peas, zucchini and cheese.
• Make the White Sauce:.
• Melt butter in saucepan, add the flour, and whisk it together until smooth.
• Add the milk and bring to a boil, stirring a bit. The sauce should thicken.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream. Let it cool until lukewarm.
• Heat the broiler. Add the sauce to the penne and vegetables, and place in a shallow baking dish that can hold about 6 cups.
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
• Broil about 4 inches from the heat until the top is lightly browned (about 6 to 8 minutes).
• Serve immediately.
• NOTE: Pepin says you can make this ahead of time up to adding the Parmesan. It will keep, covered, at room temperature for a few hours, or up to a day in the fridge before finishing in the oven, so it's a great make-ahead dish. If refrigerated, just bring it back to room temp and bake at 425 for about 30 minutes.
• SECOND NOTE: Don't let this sit in the oven after it's finished or it will become gooey.

SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOM PENNE GRATIN

Steps:

• Cook penne in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta and transfer to a flameproof 3-quart baking dish.
• Preheat broiler.
• Meanwhile, cook sausage in 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces, until no longer pink. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving fat in skillet.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet along with mushrooms and garlic, then cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden, about 3 minutes.
• Return sausage to skillet along with cream, reserved 1/2 cup cooking water, a rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and boil over high heat, stirring once or twice, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Pour over pasta, then stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and salt to taste. Spread evenly in baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella.
• Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat until golden brown in spots, about 5 minutes.

SHRIMP AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until butter melts. Reduce heat to medium, whisk in flour, and stir until a thick paste forms, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer. Cook and stir until the sauce is thick and smooth, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt.
• Place shrimp in a casserole dish and coat with 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning and salt to taste. Cover with sauce and sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top. Add shallot, remaining Italian seasoning, and parsley. Top with bread crumbs, followed by Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crisp, about 25 minutes.

SAUSAGE POTATOES AU GRATIN

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook sausage and onion in oil until lightly browned; drain. Stir in carrots, potatoes with contents of sauce mix, water and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in broccoli; cover and cook 5 minutes longer or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until cheese is melted.