Cheesy Skillet-Baked Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. small or medium pasta shells aim for something with curves, to maximize its sauce-holding potential
- 1 cup ricotta cheese 5-6 ounces
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese about 3 ounces*
- 1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese about 3 ounces*
- 1 cup grated fontina cheese about 3 ounces*
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup whole milk
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tbsp. rosemary leaves finely chopped
- a handful of fresh basil leaves coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until just barely soft, very al dente, about 2 minutes less than called for on the package. (It will absorb some of the sauce and continue to soften in the oven.) Drain the cooked pasta and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta and grated cheeses. Stir to blend well, then scoop about half the cheese mixture out into a small bowl and set aside.
- In the large bowl, add the crushed tomatoes and milk to the remaining cheese mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, peas, rosemary, and most of the chopped basil, reserving a small amount of basil for garnish. Add the drained pasta to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Coat the sides and bottom of a large cast-iron or other oven-proof skillet with olive oil. Pour in the pasta and sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese mixture over the top. Bake until the top is bubbling and golden brown, about 18 minutes. (If the sauce is bubbling but you’d like the top to be more brown and crispy, turn your oven to broil for 1-2 minutes before removing the skillet.) Top with remaining basil, if desired, and serve.
Notes
*Note: You can substitute freely mix and match, and adjust the amounts of each cheese to suit what you have on hand, as long as you end up with approximately 9 ounces total of grated cheese. Use your imagination! I’ve swapped in various amounts of Parmesan, gruyere, gouda, and emmenthal with success. I would recommend keeping in the 5-6 ounces of ricotta, because its creamy texture helps the other, grated cheeses bind together nicely.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 484 kcal, Carbohydrates: 52 g, Protein: 25 g, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 11 g, Cholesterol: 62 mg, Sodium: 454 mg, Potassium: 381 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 6 g, Vitamin A: 745 IU, Vitamin C: 11 mg, Calcium: 443 mg, Iron: 2 mg
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