Cheesy Ham & Pasta Bake

By cuttingedge

Ham, cheese and pasta all baked until its brown and bubbly - yum.

Recipe from Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 1 pound of penne (or other pasta of your choice), cooked al dente
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly chopped
• 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups diced ham
• 1 – 8oz pkg provolone cheese, sliced
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus a little more for topping)
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons heaping flour
• 3 cups milk
• 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• cayenne pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Oven to 350. Grease a shallow baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. While the pasta is cooking heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and cook the shallots and onion until they become tender. Add in the broccoli florets, cover and let them steam until slightly tender, but still crunchy.

In a saucepan melt the butter and then add the flour. Cook for a minute and then pour in 2 cups of milk whisking out any lumps. Bring to a boil and add the remaining cup of milk. Whisk in the mustard and salt and simmer for a few more minutes. Finish the sauce with cayenne pepper (if you want too) and the grated cheese. Stir to combine.

In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with the sauce. Stir in the shallots and onion, broccoli, ham, and cheeses. Pour into the baking dish and sprinkle with a little more cheddar (if you want). Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until sauce is bubbling around the edges and the center is hot (about 10 minutes more). Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.