Description
A comforting Italian-inspired bake featuring tender salmon fillets layered with penne pasta, broccoli florets, and a creamy mascarpone sauce enriched with sundried tomatoes, capers, anchovies, and fresh basil, topped with mature cheddar and baked to a perfect golden finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 250g penne
- 300g broccoli, cut into large florets
Sauce
- 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 (optional), halved
- 10 large fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
Other
- 4 fresh skinless salmon fillets
- 50g mature cheddar, finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pasta water: Preheat your oven to 190°C (gas mark 5, fan 170°C). Bring a large pan of salted water to a vigorous boil for the pasta.
- Cook penne and broccoli: Add the penne to the boiling water, stirring to prevent sticking. Cook for 6 minutes, then add the broccoli florets to the same pot. Continue boiling for an additional 4 minutes until the broccoli is just tender yet still firm. Drain the pasta and broccoli well.
- Make the creamy sauce: In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the plain flour and cook briefly to form a paste, then gradually whisk in the milk, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens smoothly. Remove from heat, then stir in mascarpone, sundried tomatoes, capers (if using), anchovies (if using), and torn basil leaves. Taste and season well if needed.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked penne and broccoli to the sauce, folding gently to combine everything evenly.
- Prepare salmon and assemble bake: Cut each salmon fillet in half widthways along the natural division. Place the salmon pieces in a single layer on the base of a 20x30cm ovenproof dish about 5cm deep. Spoon the broccoli and pasta mixture over the salmon, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the grated mature cheddar on top.
- Chill if desired: If preparing ahead, cover and chill the assembled dish for up to 4 hours before baking.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the top is a pale golden color. Avoid overbaking to prevent the fish from drying out.
Notes
- This dish can be partially prepared in advance by assembling and chilling before baking.
- Capers and anchovies are optional but add traditional Italian depth of flavor and saltiness.
- Use fresh basil to brighten the creamy sauce and balance richness.
- Keep an eye on the bake towards the end to avoid overcooking the salmon.
- This recipe pairs well with a crisp green salad or a light white wine.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Italian salmon bake, broccoli pasta bake, creamy salmon casserole, baked penne with salmon and broccoli, mascarpone pasta bake
