Crumbs and Circumstance
Baked Garlic Pasta Casserole with a Crispy, Cheesy Top
30 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerItalian
Herb's take
Tonight, we transform humble pasta and garlic into a bubbling, golden-topped casserole that’s all about comfort with a side of crunch. You’ll pick up the secrets of blooming garlic, mastering béchamel, and the fine art of crispy breadcrumb alchemy.
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- 02Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just shy of al dente (about 2 minutes less than package instructions). Drain and set aside.
- 03While pasta cooks, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 04Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
- 05Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking often, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- 06Add Parmesan, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
- 07Combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce in a large bowl and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
- 08Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. In a medium bowl, combine panko, melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle evenly over pasta.
- 09Bake until topping is golden brown and sauce is bubbly at the edges, 15 to 18 minutes.
- 10Cool 5 minutes. Top with chopped parsley before serving.
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