Penne with broccoli in almond milk béchamel

That's how we like to eat broccoli...

Penne with broccoli in almond milk béchamel
by Gray Apron
time: 20 min preparation / 10 min in the oven

ingredients
300 g (11 oz) penne pasta
1 broccoli head, florets only
6 dry peperoncino flakes
olive oil, salt
bechamel (adapted from Giada de Laurentiis)
60 g (4 Tablespoons) butter
30 g (3 Tablespoons) flour
600 ml (2 1/2 cups) warm milk (I used my own production almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
small handful shredded cheese(s)
fresh mozzarella for finishing
freshly ground pepper

method
Set the oven on broil function (top grill only, medium heat).

Prepare bechamel. In a large, heavy bottom skillet or sauce pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking continuously with a bubble whisk. Pour in the warm milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Simmer for 3-4 minutes while whisking the sauce till it thickens. If they are clumps, stir more and faster - they should disappear. Take it off the heat. Add salt and nutmeg. Using the same bubble whisk, incorporate shredded cheese.

Cook broccoli florets in a large amount of salted water for 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer florets onto a bowl and run them under cold water. Drain. Set them aside. Save the cooking water.

In the same water cook penne for 5-6 minutes (about 1/3 less time then normal). Drain. Set aside.

In a large saucepan (oven safe), heat olive oil on medium/high heat. Drop peperoncino flakes. After 1-2 minutes, add broccoli. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add pasta, pour in béchamel. Heat everything through mixing it with with a wooden spoon. Flatten it. Drop mozzarella pieces on top. Set it in the preheated oven in the upper half for 10 minutes. Remove, let it cool for 5 minutes. Serve with fresh ground pepper on top.

notes

• all the steps above can be preformed almost simultaneously but it can get a bit crazy;
• it's probably important to keep all the cooked ingredients warm;
• I used Italian cheese leftovers for the sauce: Pecorino, Parmesan and some other that I don't remember the name of;
• this dish tastes really good if you make enough sauce and if you don't overcook broccoli or pasta.