About the Recipe
Originally dubbed LAB Experiment 041224-A, this tasty casserole makes a great cold weather comfort dish. It takes a while to prepare so it is perfect for that cold day when you want to occupy yourself indoors while warming up the house and filling the air with wonderful aromas.
Ingredients
~1 kg spaghetti squash
946 ml of chicken stock
3 cups of 2% milk
½ cup of all-purpose flour
454 grams (16 Oz) of Crimini mushrooms, thick sliced
200 grams of smoked Bergeron or Gouda, grated
400-500 grams of Mozzarella cheese, grated
½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
2 ¾ cups of dry farfalle
~ ½ cup of salted butter
3 thick slices of ham (~325 grams), slivered into 1 inch pieces
2 medium sized onions, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 tablespoon of liquid chicken bouillon concentrate
3 teaspoons of garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried basil
½ teaspoon of light soy sauce
¼ - ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 Oz of dry white wine
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
Preparation
Farfalle Prep
Boil the farfalle until it is al-dente, according to the package directions. It is OK if the pasta is a bit firm as it will continue cooking a bit in the casserole.
Once the farfalle is al-dente, drain it and rinse it thoroughly with cold water and then set it aside.
Mushroom Prep
Put 2 tablespoons of butter, a tablespoon of cooking oil and one teaspoon of chopped garlic in a non-stick pan.
Set the temperature to medium.
Once the garlic begins to brown, add the thick sliced mushrooms.
Add a few shakes of salt and ground peppercorns.
Fry the mushrooms until they are nicely browned. This will take about 20 minutes.
Once the mushrooms are done, remove them from the pan and set them aside.
Spaghetti Squash Prep
Getting the thick peel of a spaghetti squash requires a bit of effort. However, it’s worth it.
It is best if you do it on a large, stable cutting board.
Start by cutting the ends off.
Exercise caution when cutting into the squash to avoid serious injury. This works best with a sharp knife.
Next, stand the squash up, hold it in place with one hand and cut the peel in downwards slices. You can start the cut about ¾ of the way up the squash to avoid getting the knife too close to your fingers.
This process is the most difficult part.
Continue around the circumference of the squash and then flip it over or turn it on its side to cut the remaining peel off.
Trim off any remaining peel.
Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon.
Cut the squash into pieces about 1” wide by 2” long, as depicted below.
Sauce Prep
Put ⅓ cup butter and 2 teaspoons of finely chopped garlic in a medium sized saucepot and set the stovetop temperature to medium.
Once the butter has melted and the garlic begins to fry, add ½ cup of all-purpose flour and whisk it in with the butter.
Let the roux cook for a couple of minutes while whisking constantly.
Gradually pour in 946 ml of chicken stock and whisk until the roux and stock are blended.
Add 3 cups of 2% milk and continue whisking.
Add:
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon of basil
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon concentrate
Continue whisking constantly.
Bring the sauce to a light boil and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
Add ¼ - ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Add 200 grams of grated, smoked Bergeron or Gouda cheese and whisk until it is well blended into the sauce.
Add 1 Oz of dry white wine.
Continue to cook for 30 seconds then remove from heat and set aside.
Sautéing the Ham & Vegetables
Put 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of garlic in the same pan as you cooked the mushrooms and set the stovetop temperature to medium-high.
Once the butter has melted and the garlic begins to brown, add:
3 thick slices of ham (~325 grams), slivered into 1 inch pieces
The pre-cooked mushrooms
2 medium sized onions, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
Stir-fry until the onions are glazed.
Add the spaghetti squash and stir fry for about 5 minutes.
Final Steps
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F (176˚ C) Convection Roast.
Transfer the contents of the pan to a large roasting pot.
Pour the sauce into the roasting pan and stir everything together.
Cover the pot and roast for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and add the al-dente farfalle then give everything a stir.
Spread the mozzarella cheese evenly over the entire surface
Spread the parmesan cheese evenly over the mozzarella.
Set the oven to top broil and then return the roast pan to the oven, uncovered.
Once the cheese is beautifully browned, remove from oven.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.