Best Pasta Souffle Recipes

CHICKEN AND CHEDDAR SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 2-quart (8-cups) souffle dish
• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart souffle dish. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 stick of butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheeses, the spinach, chicken, egg yolks, and bread cubes. Stir until combined (mixture will be thick).
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until they hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the chicken mixture. Using a spatula, fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and bake until the souffle is puffed and the top is firm and golden, about 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

PASTA SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Make bechamel: Melt butter, stir in flour and slowly add 1 1/2 cups milk. Cook over low heat until thickened. Fold in fine shreds of prosciutto and goats's cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a souffle dish (5 or 6 cup measure). Fold egg yolks into bechamel and fold in cooked pasta. Whip egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into noodles. Turn into souffle dish and bake for 40 minutes.

LEMON SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Butter a 2-quart soufflé or other deep baking dish. Sprinkle the dish with sugar, invert it, and tap to remove excess sugar. Set aside and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar until light and very thick; the mixture will fall in a ribbon from the ends of the beaters when it is ready. Beat in the flavorings and set aside.
• Beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold soft peaks; continue to beat, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, until they are very stiff but still glossy. Stir a good spoonful of them thoroughly into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, using a rubber spatula or your hand. Transfer to the prepared soufflé dish(es) and bake until the center is nearly set, 25 to 35 minutes (15 to 25 minutes for individual soufflés). Serve immediately.

CHEESE SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Using 10 grams (2 teaspoons) butter, grease a 2-quart soufflé dish. Dust with 12 grams (2 tablespoons) Parmesan. Heat oven to 400 degrees with rack positioned in the lower third.
• Make the béchamel: Place a strainer over a large bowl and set aside. Heat remaining butter over medium heat in a heavy medium-size saucepan. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened (do not brown), 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Remove from heat and whisk in milk all at once. Return to heat and bring to a simmer while whisking. Continue to whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Turn heat to very low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often with a whisk and scraping bottom and edges of pan with a rubber spatula. The sauce will be quite thick and should have no taste of raw flour. Add 3 grams ( 1/2 teaspoon) salt, the white pepper and the nutmeg. While it is still hot, strain sauce into the large bowl.
• Immediately beat egg yolks into sauce, one at a time. Adjust salt and pepper.
• In a stand mixer or using electric beaters, begin beating egg whites on low speed. When they begin to foam, add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. Continue to beat until they form stiff but not dry peaks. Be careful not to overbeat or egg whites will fall apart when you fold them into sauce, which will make your soufflé mixture grainy.
• Using a large rubber spatula, stir a quarter of the egg whites into sauce. Stir in Gruyère, remaining Parmesan and truffle if using. Gently fold remaining whites into mixture, working rapidly but gingerly so whites don't collapse. Carefully spoon or pour mixture into prepared soufflé dish and place dish on a baking sheet.
• Place in oven, turning heat down to 375 degrees as soon as you close the oven door. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until soufflé has puffed above the top of the dish, and soufflé top is golden brown. Turn off oven. If desired, let sit 5 minutes (the sauce in the middle will thicken slightly, but the soufflé will remain puffed) or serve at once. The center of the soufflé should be saucy. When you serve the soufflé, spoon sauce from the middle over each fluffy serving.

CONTEST-WINNING GREEK PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, chicken, tomato sauce, tomatoes, spinach, olives, onion, green pepper, basil and oregano. , Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake, uncovered, at 400° until heated through and cheese is melted. If desired, sprinkle with oregano or basil. Freeze option: Cool unbaked casserole; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 400°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.