CREAMY ARTICHOKE BAKED PASTA

Creamy Artichoke Baked Pasta image

Provided by Kare for Kitchen Treaty

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 11

8 ounces tube shaped pasta (I used cavatappi, cooked)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup half and half
1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup Italian blend shredded cheese (divided (10 ounces total)*)
1 14-ounce can marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once the oil, is hot, add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add in the milk, half and half, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.
Simmer over medium heat until warmed through, but don't let the mixture boil as you don't want to scorch the milk.
Once the milk is hot, add in 2-1/2 cups shredded cheese and stir to combine. You want the cheese to fully melt in a creamy sauce.
Add in the cooked pasta and chopped artichokes and stir to fully combine. Taste the mixture and season with a desired amount of kosher salt and pepper.
If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pasta mixture to an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Otherwise, you can bake the pasta right in the skillet.
Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and add to the oven. Bake until the top of the pasta is browned and bubbly, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
Note: You can also opt to first cook the pasta in the pan with water, drain and set aside. Then make the recipe as written. This helps cut down on dishes.