Gratin With Pasta and Peas

A nice gratin - perfect for using up leftover pasta and peas (or other vegetables of your choice).

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 5
• Yields: 1 gratin

Ingredients

• 30  g butter
• 5  tablespoons flour
• 2  cups milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper (to taste)
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 4  eggs (divided)
• 3⁄4 cup pasta (cooked)
• 1  cup peas (boiled)
• 1⁄4 cup  dried breadcrumbs
• 20  g butter

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan at medium heat.
2. Sprinkle the flour into the pan, stirring as you go.
3. Add the milk a little at a time - whisking constantly - and bringing "the sauce" up to boiling each time you have added milk.
4. When you have added all the milk - and you have a thick white sauce - turn off the heat and add the basil, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
5. Let the sauce cool down a little, whilst you prepare the other ingredients.
6. Cook the pasta and the peas and drain them carefully.
7. Divide the eggs.
8. In a mixer beat the egg whites until stiff.
9. Stir the egg yokes into the sauce one at a time whisking between additions.
10. Add the baking powder to the sauce.
11. Gently stir half of the egg whites into the sauce.
12. Add the rest of the egg whites and "fold" them very carefully into the sauce.
13. Butter an oven proof dish that is large enough to allow the gratin to rise to twice its size in the oven.
14. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the oven proof dish with some of the dried breadcrumps.
15. Pour the gratin mixture into the oven proof dish.
16. Sprinkle the rest of the dried breadcrumps on top of the gratin and spread little lumps of butter evenly across the top.
17. Bake the gratin for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).