Can we agree that there never is enough crispy topping on the baked pasta gratin? Didn’t we just discuss this? Yes. I’ll keep this brief. Without a bread crumb topping, this sheet pan pasta gratin comes together even faster than the mac n’ cheese, and the addition of chopped raw kale not only provides some tasty roughage but also bolsters the crispness effect — think: kale chip meets gratin edge. Like the mac n’ cheese, the elements in this gratin include a light béchamel made with equal parts milk and water, two cheeses, and parboiled pasta, something like penne or campanelle, whose fluted, petal-like edges brown up so beautifully. The rest is up to you. In the spirit of Meatless Mondays, I refrained from adding hot Italian sausage, but sausage or crisped pancetta or bacon would be nice here. Greens like kale and chard don’t need to be cooked — just chop them up and toss them with the pasta and béchamel. Peppers, onions, mushrooms benefit from a quick sauté, and vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower should be blanched beforehand. Throw in whatever you have on hand. Just remember: the world is your sheet pan. Or something like that.
5 from 3 reviews
