Broccoli Pasta Soufflé

An excellent recipe that transforms an everyday pasta dish into a touch of luxury.

Vegetarian. Hands-on time: 15 mins. Total time: 50 mins.

Contributed by Moira Adams (November 2010).

If you're getting tired of the usual pasta recipes, try this delicious and unusual alternative. It tastes great and it looks impressive. It's true that it involves a little more work than most pasta dishes, but I can assure you that the results will be worthwhile.

The quantities given here will make a light dinner dish for four. It can be eaten on its own, or perhaps with a green salad. Either way, be sure to serve it straight from the oven.

Ingredients

• 3 cups (10 oz. 300 g) penne or other pasta
• 8 oz (250 g) fresh broccoli
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1¼ cups (10 fl oz, 300 ml) milk
• 1 cup (4 oz, 110 g) shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 eggs

Method

Oven: Pre-heat to 400F (200C)

Start by cooking the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water. This usually takes 9 to 12 minutes, but check the instructions on the packet as the time varies with different types of pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, wash the broccoli and cut it into small-to-medium pieces. Boil or steam it gently until it's just tender. Drain and keep warm.

Next, make a white sauce. To do so, heat the oil in a pan, stir in the flour, then gradually add in the milk. Keep stirring as the sauce thickens. (Alternatively, try our method of making an ultra low-fat white sauce; this requires rice flour and low-fat milk, but no oil.)

Separate the eggs.

Beat the egg yolks. Stir these into the sauce. Add the cheese, and cook for another minute or so on a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Whisk the egg whites until they just begin to stiffen. Stir these into the sauce.

When the pasta is ready, drain it and place it in a large oven-proof dish. Mix in the cooked broccoli. Pour the sauce over the top.

Cook in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the soufflé is golden brown on top and well risen.

Note on quantities and temperatures:
Quantities are given in American (cups), imperial (oz, fl oz) and metric (g, ml) units. Do not mix the units - use one or other system throughout the recipe.
See also How much does a cup weigh?
oz = ounces, fl oz = fluid ounces, g = grams, ml = milliliters, tsp = teaspoons, tbsp = tablespoons.
Oven temperatures are given in degrees F (Fahrenheit) and C (Celsius).
For fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by 20F or 10C.