Mushroom and Peas Pasta Bake
A Ramos household classic
No shade to my parents, but the kitchen is definitely not their comfort zone. Despite many dinners of Velveeta and Little Caeser’s Pizza, there was one homemade dish I could always count on as a kid. Conveniently titled “chicken, peas and spaghetti,” this pasta bake is the easiest of easy casserole dishes that is salty, cheesy and full of texture. When I told my mom that I was recreating her masterpiece for the blog, she was elated to explain the process to me: tear up a store-bought rotisserie chicken, mix with cooked spaghetti, peas, cheese and margarine spread, and pop in the oven.
Yes, this sounds a little chaotic, and IT IS. I personally draw the line at margarine. But this was my favorite meal as a child for good reason. The sweetness of the peas, the gooey cheese, and, my absolute favorite part, how the top and edges of the spaghetti noodles get brown and crispy, are a combination of pure magic. I was nervous that my vegetarian version was not going to live up to my nostalgic memories, but these rotisserie mushrooms tastes so much like the real thing that I couldn’t tell the difference.
This is a crowd-pleasing recipe that would fit perfectly into this year’s Thanksgiving spread. Although spaghetti is not your typical holiday main/side dish, nobody will be complaining about the fun and tasty addition. Not to mention, this pasta bake makes for excellent leftovers! Simply reheat at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until warm and enjoy for a second, third, or fourth time.
If you’re not making this for me, make this for my mom Shelley and her inspiration for this recipe!
Mushroom and Peas Pasta Bake
Serves: 6
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 lbs of spaghetti
1 14oz can of sweet green peas (or thawed frozen)
6 tbsp of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions
Make the rotisserie mushrooms and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Boil a large pot of salted water and cook noodles until just short of al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain the noodles and return to the pot.
Mix in butter, mushrooms, peas, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Gradually add pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Transfer the pasta to a casserole dish and top with shredded Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Remove the cover and return to the oven and cook for an addition 5-7 minutes until the top noodles crisp up.
Serve with tongs and an extra spoon to scoop up the peas!
