Ingredients
250 g gemelli pasta
30 ml herb-infused extra-virgin olive oil
0.5 medium onion, chopped
450 g fresh asparagus, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
225 g sliced mushrooms
475 g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
30 g unsalted butter
30 g all-purpose flour
475 ml 1% milk
75 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
60 g shredded provolone cheese
40 g Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease a 18x28 cm baking dish.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook gemelli until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 3
Heat herb-infused olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion for 2 minutes. Add asparagus and mushrooms; cook until mushrooms begin to soften and asparagus is bright green, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Stir in cooked pasta.
Step 5
Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles, about 4 minutes. Pour in milk, stirring briskly to avoid lumps. Continue to stir until sauce thickens and bubbles again, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and provolone until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Step 6
Pour sauce over pasta-vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Toss remaining 1/3 of Parmigiano-Reggiano with bread crumbs in a small bowl and sprinkle over casserole.
Step 7
Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.