Creamy pasta bake

Creamy pasta bake

Another stellar winter dish, that would satisfy anyone's craving for a heart warming pasta fix!

Ingredients

375g of elbow / shell / macaroni pasta

200g chicken pieces thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 knobs of butter

1/3 cup (50g) plain flour

4 cups milk

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Method

1. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, following packet directions until tender. Drain. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Cook chicken in a large non-stick saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes or until golden. Add garlic and onion. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes or until onion is soft. Add to pasta.
3. Melt butter in same pan over medium heat. Add flour. Cook, stirring for 1 minute or until mixture is bubbling. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly for 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and parsley. Add to pasta and chicken mixture. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon mixture into a 12 cup-capacity ovenproof dish. Top with tomato. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden. Stand 2 minutes before serving.