sheet pan pasta gratin with kale...



via AK

Delicious and easy.  I have wanted to cook a few more kale dishes and since pasta is a constant must for me, this one hit the spot. Putting it together took very little time as I had broken up the kale in the morning.  Helpful hit:  I use to chop my kale. Nope, it's easier to just tear it off the stem/vein and then tear it again into pieces.  Once the dish was assembled, I just left it on the counter until we were ready to eat and then popped it in the oven until it was brown and bubbly and just plain pretty.

 

Sheet Pan Past Gratin with Kale

via Alexandra's Kitchen

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound pasta, penne or campanelle or anything you like
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk (2% or whole)
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• about 8 oz kale or Swiss chard, stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups (4 ounces) Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• a scant cup (6 oz) fontina or fresh mozzarella, diced into small cubes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of kosher salt. Boil pasta for 2 minutes less than the box's suggested al dente time. (For example, my campanelle box said 'al dente perfection' in 10 to 11 minutes. I boiled mine for 8.) Drain. Do not rinse. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add flour, whisking constantly for about a minute. Add milk and water, whisking to remove any of the flour-butter mixture from bottom of pan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer. Add 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until mixture begins to thicken, about 20 minutes. Note: the mixture will not get super thick, but it will coat the back of a spoon, and if you run your finger through the coating, the trail should stay — see photo. Remove from the heat.
4. Meanwhile, chop the kale or chard into small pieces. In a large mixing bowl, toss pasta with bechamel and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Fold in chopped kale.
5. Line a jelly roll pan with a sheet of parchment paper. Spread macaroni mixture over top. Distribute mozzarella or fontina cubes over top.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, checking after 10 minutes or so. (Note: If it looks too brown after 10-15 minutes, reduce oven to 400ºF for the remainder of the cooking time.) The gratin should be bubbling and golden at the edges. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

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