Today’s dinner is a pantry-and-freezer adventure. I didn’t feel like going to the shops, but I always keep dried pasta on hand, so I decided to turn what I already had into something cozy and delicious. I’m cooking a big batch for the next few days, layering in flavour on purpose: warm spices, creamy canned soup, nutty Parmesan, and sweet pops of peas and corn for colour and texture. This is the kind of cooking I love—using what’s on hand, trusting my taste, and confidently improvising the technique as I go.

Fusilli and rotini are those twisty, spiral-shaped pastas that work like little corkscrews, grabbing onto sauce and catching tasty bits in every groove. Fusilli is a classic short pasta from southern Italy, named after the fuso (spindle) traditionally used to twist the dough; its tight coils are perfect for rich meat sauces, hearty ragù, or thick pesto that cling to every curve. Rotini, on the other hand, is a corkscrew-shaped pasta especially popular in North America and inspired by traditional Italian designs, with looser spirals that pair beautifully with lighter cream sauces, simple oil-and-garlic dressings, or cold pasta salads where the wider gaps hold onto chopped vegetables and cheese.

Why stick to the stovetop when you can let the oven do the magic? Pull out your favourite baking dish and turn a simple meal into something creative and irresistible. Beneath a golden, bubbling Parmesan crust, every layer hides rich, savoury flavours waiting to be discovered. Each bite feels indulgent and deeply satisfying, like uncovering a little secret under that blanket of melted cheese. Serve it hot from the oven with a chilled glass of Rosé and savour the moment. Let’s bake!!!

Ingredients

2 canned of Hearty Beef & Vegetable, 500 g each
200 g frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas and corns), thawed
5-7 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tsp salt, divided
1 Tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 Tbs dried oregano
1 Tbs Italian Seasoning
1 Tsp dried basil
250 – 300 g fusilli
2-3 c milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 c grated Parmesan for topping
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella
2 Tbs oil, or 20 g butter, grease the oven proof bowl
chili flakes (OPT)

Method

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 4-5 minutes. The pasta should still feel very firm (al dente or slightly undercooked). Drain the water completely. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Greased a big bowl of oven proof with butter or spray with oil.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with thawed mixed vegetables (carrots, peas and corns), 2 canned of Hearty Beef & Vegetable, garlic, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup grated Mozzarella, oregano, basil, 2 c milk first, 1/2 Tsp salt, and 1/2 Tsp pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the milk and sauce mixture, and all of the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared oven proof bowl, and smooth if you want to. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the remaining 1 c milk, if you want some extra sauce. Bake cover with a oven proof lid or foil for the first 25 minutes to keep the milk-based sauce from drying out, then uncover for the last 5–10 minutes to brown the top. I place an extra 5 minutes as I like the edges a bit crispy and I have scatter some chili flakes when it’s done baking. You don’t have to. Serve with a glass of Merlot!!!

Note: Oven temperatures can vary. You may need to increase the heat to about 200°C or bake for an extra 10 minutes. Feel free to use fresh and any vegetables you like: zucchini, capsicums, eggplants and tomatoes. You may omit canned soup, just use milk or cream and add some flour and butter. Or tomato passata sauce or white sauce.

https://helenscchin.com/2017/09/22/baked-vegetables-pasta-in-hearty-beef-and-vegetable-soup/

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