Easy Italian pasta bake

300 gr pasta

Grana Padano cheese

Tomato passata

Olive oil

leaves Basil

For the beschamel

500 ml whole milk

50 gr unsalted butter

50 gr all-purpose flour

Salt

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until almost fully cooked (it will complete to cook in the oven)

In the meantime, prepare the bechamel sauce. Warm up the milk, then melt the butter into a saucepan, and add the flour to it, mixing it together. When smooth, start adding the milk and mix until there are no clumps left. On medium heat, add salt to taste and keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Drain the pasta, then put it back into its pan on medium heat. Add the tomato passata (as much as you prefer) and the olive oil (about 3 tablespoons). Stir everything well for a few minutes, then turn off the heat.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F)

Grab a loafpan, and begin making layers (they should be only 2). Start with a layer of pasta, then bechamel sauce, then repeat. The last layer has to be bechamel. Put a couple handfuls of grated grana padano cheese on top, then add some basil leaves.

Now that you assembled everything, put the loafpan into the oven for about 20/30 minutes or until the cheese on top becomes golden and crispy.

You made it! I hope you like my recipe, buon appetito! :)