Dinner recipe
Salmon and broccoli pasta bake with tomato sauce, spinach, and cheddar for a reliable family fish dinner.
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Ingredients
35 × 25cm 4l ovenproof dish, 30cm 4l saute pan, 4l pasta saucepan and colander, scales, measuring jug, knife, board, grater and clean probe thermometer
Method
For more than four servings, repeat batches of no more than four. Divide displayed ingredients and measured method quantities between batches; keep fish size, dish depth, equipment and per-batch times fixed. Allow extra elapsed time for further batches. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional/180°C fan. Cut broccoli into florets no wider than 3cm and peeled stalk slices 3mm thick. Chop spinach and grate cheddar. Measure 2g lemon zest and 30ml juice. Check salmon for bones and cut into 3cm chunks; keep chilled until assembly. Wash hands and utensils after handling raw fish.
Bring 2000ml water to a boil in a 4l saucepan. Add all dry penne and cook 10–12 minutes or according to the packet until just tender. Add all broccoli for the final 5 minutes, returning to the boil and checking the stalk slices are tender. Drain well and discard water. Start the sauce while pasta cooks.
Heat all 15ml oil in a 30cm 4l pan over medium heat. Add all passata and simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats a spoon. Stir in all pesto. Add all spinach and all measured zest and heat 3 minutes until wilted.
Fold all drained pasta and broccoli into the hot sauce. Transfer to the 35 × 25cm 4l dish, spreading no deeper than 3cm. Distribute all raw salmon chunks in one layer among the hot pasta, with sauce around them; avoid stacking fish pieces. Use a second dish if needed. Scatter all cheddar evenly over the top and bake immediately.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, checking from 20 minutes. Open a thick salmon piece: it must be opaque through the centre and separate easily into flakes. Check with a clean probe for 75°C for 30 seconds; continue cooking and recheck if needed. The centre of the bake must be steaming hot. Cover loosely with foil if the cheese colours before the fish is cooked.
Rest for 3 minutes, then divide all the bake equally between the intended servings. Spoon all 30ml measured lemon juice evenly over the portions.
