Nadia Sawalha's beautiful broccoli bake

A tasty oven bake which is great as a midweek family meal.

• Preparation: 15 mins
• Cooking: 55 mins
• Serves: 6

What you need:

• 300g penne pasta
• 200g Bellaverde broccoli
• 2 skinless salmon steaks weighing 175g each
• 450ml milk
• 3 rashers of smoked back bacon, chopped
• 25g butter
• 4tbsp plain flour
• 25g grated Parmesan
• zest of 1 lemon
• 6 sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• a handful of chopped parsley
• 8-10 basil leaves
• 50g grated cheddar
• season with salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 200oC/Fan 180oC/400oF/Gas Mark 6. Cook the pasta a in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10-12mins or according to packet instructions. Steam the broccoli until just tender about 4 mins.
2. Cook the salmon: place the fillets in a non-stick frying pan, cover with the milk and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer for 8 mins or until the fish has turned opaque. Use a fish slice to transfer the salmon to a plate, reserve the milk.
3. Rinse out the pan, add the bacon and saute for 5 mins or until crispy, set aside. Melt the butter in the same pan and then add the flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly add the reserved milk whisking the whole time, bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 minute.
4. Remove the sauce from the heat, stir in the parmesan, lemon zest and sun dried tomatoes. Flake the salmon. Season to taste.
5. Drain the pasta, return to the pan, then add the salmon, bellaverde broccoli, herbs, bacon and cheese sauce and mix it well. Spoon into a 1.7ltr shallow ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the grated cheddar and bake for 25-30min or until golden and crisp on top.

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