Pasta gratin

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 150 g pasta, short pasta is best
• Salt
• 500 g leek
• 10 g margarine or butter
• 20 g breadcrumbs
• 150 g ham, cooked
• 125 g cheese, medium-aged Gouda, Emmental or Gruyère in one piece
• 3 eggs
• 250 ml cream
• Cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

My favorite pasta casserole

Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water until almost tender. Meanwhile, trim and wash the leek and cut into thin rings. Add the leek to the pasta during the last minute of cooking time and continue cooking. Drain the pasta and leek well in a colander. Brush a 26 cm pie dish (quiche dish) with the margarine or butter and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Spread the pasta and leek mixture on top. Dice the ham and sprinkle over the dish. Coarsely grate the cheese. Whisk the eggs with the cream, season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, pour evenly over the pasta, and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake the gratin at 225 °C (top and bottom heat) on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. This gratin is also great for entertaining guests. Simply double the ingredients and cook in the oven’s roasting pan. This serves 6-8 people. You can prepare the ingredients up to 24 hours in advance: Cook the pasta and leeks, dice the ham, grate the cheese, and store everything in tightly covered bowls or containers in the refrigerator. If the pasta is cold, add 5-10 minutes to the baking time. It’s important to buy the cheese in chunks and grate it yourself; I find the gratin tastes better that way.