Description
This Italian broccoli and salmon bake combines tender penne pasta, crisp broccoli florets, and succulent salmon fillets in a creamy mascarpone and cheddar sauce infused with sundried tomatoes, capers, anchovies, and fresh basil. Baked to a golden finish, it’s a comforting, flavorful dish perfect for an effortless weeknight dinner or a casual family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 250g penne
- 300g broccoli, cut into large florets
Sauce Ingredients
- 25g butter
- 25g plain flour
- 600ml milk
- 100g mascarpone
- 8 sundried tomatoes (preserved in olive oil), drained and thickly sliced
- 2 tbsp small capers (optional), rinsed to remove excess salt or vinegar
- 8 anchovy fillets, halved (optional)
- 10 large fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
Main and Cheese
- 4 fresh skinless salmon fillets
- 50g mature cheddar, finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 190°C (gas mark 5, fan 170°C) and prepare an ovenproof dish approximately 20 by 30 cm and 5 cm deep, ready for assembling the bake.
- Cook Pasta and Broccoli: Bring a large pan of salted water to a vigorous boil. Add the penne pasta and cook for 6 minutes. Then add the broccoli florets to the same pot and continue boiling for an additional 4 minutes, until broccoli is just tender but still firm. Drain the pasta and broccoli thoroughly.
- Make the Sauce: In a large pan, melt the butter and whisk in the plain flour over gentle heat to form a roux. Gradually add the milk while continuously whisking to avoid lumps, and cook until the sauce thickens smoothly. Remove from heat and stir in the mascarpone, sundried tomatoes, capers (if using), anchovies (if using), and torn basil leaves. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Fold the drained pasta and broccoli into the prepared sauce mixture, ensuring everything is well coated with the flavorful sauce.
- Prepare Salmon: Halve each salmon fillet widthways at the natural divide, and arrange the pieces in a single layer at the bottom of the ovenproof dish.
- Assemble the Bake: Spoon the broccoli and pasta sauce mixture evenly over the salmon fillets, then sprinkle the grated mature cheddar on top. If desired, the assembled dish can be chilled for up to 4 hours before baking.
- Bake the Dish: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. The bake should be bubbling gently around the edges and have a pale golden color on top. Avoid over-baking to prevent the salmon from overcooking or the top becoming too dark.
Notes
- You can omit the capers and anchovies for a milder flavor or if you prefer to avoid these ingredients.
- Chilling the assembled bake for a few hours can help meld the flavors and make preparation ahead of time easier.
- Ensure the broccoli remains slightly firm after cooking to maintain texture in the finished dish.
- Use fresh basil for optimal flavor, but dried basil can be used if fresh is unavailable, adjusting quantity accordingly.
- Watch the bake near the end of cooking to avoid over-browning, which can dry out the salmon.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Italian salmon bake, broccoli pasta bake, baked salmon and pasta, creamy salmon dish, family dinner recipe
