baked pasta

delicious!  this recipe makes about 6 generous servings.  we had to use two le creuset pans to make it all fit.  it is great the day it is made AND wonderful for leftover lunches.

Pasta al Forno (adapted from a lottie + doof recipe)

• 1 pound pasta
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe and swiss chard washed and stemmed
• salt
• 1/2 pound ricotta cheese 
• butter
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• grated asiago cheese

cook 1 pound of pasta in salted water until extremely al dente, about 8 minutes.  lift the pasta from the water and pour in a large bowl to cool; drizzle lightly with olive oil to keep it from sticking together. using the boiling water, blanch the broccoli rabe and greens for 1 minute or so.  drain in a colander.  when they are cool, roughly chop the greens and set aside.

heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  warm the garlic in the oil, but don’t let it brown.  add the chopped broccoil rabe, greens, and red pepper flakes.  lightly salt the greens, stir them around the pan, and turn off the heat. to assemble the dish, add the cooked greens to the cooked pastsa and mix gently.  add the ricotta and mix again. butter a shallow earthenware gratin dish (or two in our case).  put the pasta mixture in the dish and sprinkle generously with grated asiago cheese.

preheat the oven to 400°F.  shortly before serving time, bake the pasta for 15 minutes.  uncover and bake for 5 minutes more.  serve immediately.