Blue Cheese and Speck Pasta Bake

Charmaine Lu -
  • 300g penne
  • 100g stilton
  • 50g grated parmesan
  • 50g grated pecorino
  • 500ml milk
  • Knob of butter
  • 100g speck, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • Preheat the oven to 180C. Heat a frying pan with a splash of oil and cook the speck pieces until the fat has rendered, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente, and drain.
  • In a separate saucepan, heat the milk with the bay leaves. Add a knob of butter to the speck fat in the frying pan and melt, then stir in 1 tbsp of flour and mix well to make a roux. Slowly begin adding the warm milk, stirring as you go, until you have a thick white sauce. Stir in the cheeses and melt, then stir in the cooked pasta. Transfer to a baking dish, top with more crumbled stilton, and bake in the oven for 15 mins or until golden and bubbling.
25 mins
4 serving