Recipe: Leerdammer and Roasted Red Pepper Spirali Bake

Goodness, this is one of the best pasta bakes I have ever made! There are certain elements you need in a pasta bake- you want a nice, unctuous, creamy sauce to coat everything, a good mix of tasty ingredients mixed in with the pasta, it needs to be nice and rich but not too overpoweringly creamy,and with a nice crunchy baked topping. This has got all of that- and it's really nice garnishing it with chopped spring onions, adds a real zing!

Leerdammer and Roasted Red Pepper Spirali Bake (serves 3)

300g Spirali pasta

45g butter

40g flour

600ml skimmed milk

225g Leerdammer, grated

250g diced flame roasted red pepper (the type you get pre-roasted in jars/tins)

200g ham, finely chopped

125g spinach

2 generous tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

30g spring onions, finely sliced

1)      Preheat oven to 200C. Cook the Spirali according to packet instructions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter, and add the flour. Gradually add the milk to this mixture (thus making a white sauce).

2)      Add 2/3rds of the Leerdammer, red pepper, ham, spinach and mustard. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted, the cheese has melted, the sauce has thickened nicely. 

3)      Season the sauce to taste, and mix in the pasta. Pour this mix into a large baking dish, top with the remaining Leerdammer, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and garnish with the spring onion. Serve!