Con Poulos
Large shell pasta (conchiglioni) is the perfect vessel for the rich, fragrant gorgonzola, mushroom and pork stuffing in this sausage paste bake recipe.
Test Kitchen tip
Buy a fennel bulb with plenty of fronds, as you will need at least ¼ cup; you could use dill instead.
This recipe is from The Australian Women’s Weekly Pasta cookbook, $49, available from all good booksellers and awwcookbooks.com.au.
Are you and your family lovers of pasta bakes? Make these perfect pasta bake recipes.
Ingredients
White sauce
Method
1.WHITE SAUCE: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until a smooth paste forms; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warmed milk until smooth. Bring to the boil then whisk continuously for about 4 minutes or until thickened. Stir in nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
2.Make a slit along the length of the sausages, remove sausage meat and crumble into small pieces. Discard casings.
3.Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook sausage meat, stirring, for 8 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a large bowl.
4.Return the pan to high heat with another 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook onion, fennel, mushrooms and sliced garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in fennel seeds; cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Transfer fennel mixture to sausage meat in the bowl. Stir in half the lemon rind, the lemon juice, gorgonzola and 2 tablespoons of the reserved fennel fronds until well combined. Cool slightly.
5.Cook dried pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain. Cool slightly.
6.Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Grease a 26cm x 30cm ovenproof baking dish. Spread half the White Sauce over the base of the baking dish. Spoon the sausage mixture into the pasta shells; arrange shells in a single layer in the dish. Top with remaining White Sauce. Cover dish with greased foil; bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake for a further 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Stand for 10 minutes.
7.Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook breadcrumbs and extra crushed garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from heat. Stir in parmesan, remaining lemon rind and remaining reserved fennel fronds.
8.Serve the baked pasta topped with the breadcrumb mixture.
Suitable to freeze.
Note
