White Baked Pasta with Zucchini

White baked pasta with zucchini is a simple yet very tasty dish, perfect for those looking for an alternative to the classic baked pasta with ragù. Here’s the recipe and steps to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 350 g of short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
• 3 medium zucchinis
• 250 g of mozzarella
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 300 ml of béchamel sauce
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Butter for the baking dish

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Wash the zucchinis, cut them into rounds or cubes, and sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper until they are slightly golden. If you wish, you can add a pinch of nutmeg for an extra touch of flavor.
3. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water, draining it a few minutes before the cooking time indicated on the package, so that it can finish cooking in the oven. Remember to keep some of the cooking water.
4. In a large bowl, mix the pasta with the sautéed zucchini and half of the béchamel sauce. If the mixture is a bit dry, add some of the pasta’s cooking water.
5. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and incorporate it into the pasta and zucchini mixture.
6. Butter a baking dish and pour the mixture inside. Level it well and cover with the remaining Parmesan and béchamel sauce.
7. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and crispy.
8. Let it rest a few minutes before serving.

Trivia

Baked pasta is a very traditional dish in Italy, especially during holidays or special occasions. The white version with zucchini is a lighter variant compared to the one with ragù and can be enriched with the addition of other types of cheese or vegetables, according to personal taste.