Baked Pasta Florentine

Nothing is better than this Gemille shaped baked pasta casserole, smothered in creamy, cheesy bechamel sauce.

It really is one of those pasta recipes that you’ll want to make often. Not only is it easy and delicious it’s a pasta dish prefect for busy weeknight dinners or makes a great make ahead  meal when you want to feed a crowd.

I love casserole pasta bakes, there easy if you want a hands free dinner and they’re freezer friendly for ready made meals.

Growing up in the hills of Tuscany any baked pasta was my favorite. My Mom’s pasta bakes were simple and delicious. This dish brings back memories, from when I was a kidhanging around the kitchen counter, tasting whatever Mom was cooking.

No offense Mom, but I’ve gourmet it up a bit. I love my creamy, cheese filled, bechamel smothered  casserole, a little more than Mom’s. Sometimes you have to put a new twist on an old classic, to fit your lifestyle and taste. I kick up a notch by using Bechamel sauce instead of Moms’ classic marinara sauce.

How to make the Sauce for baked pasta Florentine

The cheesy sauce for this baked pasta florentine is basically a glorified Bechamel sauce, traditionally bechamel sauce is a mixture of milk. flour and butter.

This recipe started like that with butter, flour and milk  than I added  the cheeses. Bechamel sauce is not difficult to make, but you do need to pay attention,for  success don’t leave the stove unattended, the sauce burns quickly. Stir continuously while sauce is simmering. If the sauce is too thick add more milk, if too thin coat one pad of butter with flour and drop it in sauce while simmering. Add the cheeses after the sauce thickens a bit.

There never seems to be any left overs, but if there are you can freeze it for a ready made meal prefect for a hurry-up dinner for unexpected guest.

All you need is a casserole dish, 45 minutes, a prep plan and you can feed as many people as you need to, I like to use this it’s big enough for 6  portion,

and the white color looks pretty on almost any table ant goes from oven to table to freeze, to dish washer.

13 x 9 covered white casserole dishJust be sure to use a casserole dish that goes from oven to table, to limit the pots and pans in the sink.

The extra bonus with casserole meals, your quest can serve themselves, set out these pretty dinner napkins  to set a festive mood and serve this pasta bake with a simple salad and crusty bread for a special dinner everyone will love.

If you make this  baked past Florentine ,   please be sure to leave me a comment, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Above all I love hearing from you guys, and do my best to respond.