Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water (4¼ cups of water and a heaping teaspoon of salt for every 4 oz of pasta), following the package directions (taste about 2 minutes early), until al dente.
⚙ Cooking in salted waterStovePot
💡The water should taste like a seasoned soup, not like sea water: a heaping teaspoon of salt per liter. Add the salt once the water is boiling.
2
Reserve cup of the cooking water before draining.
⚙ Saving the cooking waterLadleorMeasuring cup
💡The cooking water is starchy: a spoonful or two binds the sauce to the pasta or the gnocchi and makes it glossy.
3
Drain.
Colander
For the Béchamel
4
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat, add the flour and stir 1–2 minutes, until a smooth roux forms and starts to bubble.
StovePot
5
Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly, and cook 5–8 minutes, until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon.
StoveWhisk
💡Add the milk slowly, whisking constantly, so no lumps form. For lasagna, the common ratio is about 7 g flour per 100 ml milk (4 tablespoons flour to 2 cups): more flour gives a thick béchamel, for moussaka; less flour gives a soft béchamel, for a sauce.
6
Season with salt and Nutmeg.
To assemble
7
Add the cheese, cream cheese, mustard, paprika, cumin and pepper to the hot sauce and stir until the cheese melts.
💡Add the cheese to a hot but not boiling sauce: boiling splits the cheese, and the sauce turns grainy and greasy.
8
Toss the pasta in the cheese sauce, adding a little of the cooking water if it's too thick.
9
Transfer to a baking dish and bake in a hot oven 20 minutes, until the topping is golden.
Baking panOven
955calories
40 gprotein
83 gcarbs
49 gfat
● protein 17%● carbs 36%● fat 47%
Per serving (361 g), of 4 servings
For the Cooked pasta · For the Béchamel · To assemble ·
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Cream cheese: measured in cup in this recipe: 1 cup = 232 g · 342 kcal per 100 g · More about Cream cheese →
Mustard: measured in tsp in this recipe: 1 tsp = 5 g · 67 kcal per 100 g · More about Mustard →
Smoked paprika: measured in tsp in this recipe: 1 tsp = 2.3 g · 282 kcal per 100 g · More about Smoked paprika →
Cumin: measured in tsp in this recipe: 1 tsp = 2.1 g · 375 kcal per 100 g · More about Cumin →
Black pepper: measured in tsp in this recipe: 1 tsp = 2.4 g · 251 kcal per 100 g · More about Black pepper →
🔧 Tools needed (7) · 🍳 2 cooking vessels
Oven· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Toaster oven (Fits one small pan; good for small batches) · Air fryer (Small batches only, no runny batters) · Pot (Only for covered stews on the stovetop, no browning on top)
Stove· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
Pot· Also works: Deep skillet (sauté pan) (less liquid, faster evaporation)· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Wok (For quick cooking)
Baking pan· Also works: Glass / ovenproof baking dish (None) · Disposable pan (None)
Colander· Also works: Lid (a lid held slightly open over the sink, you lose a little) · Slotted spoon (for small amounts)
Whisk· Also works: Hand mixer (None)· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Fork (Beat with a fork, less air)
Ladle or Measuring cup· one of them
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