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penne and sliced mushrooms in pale Alfredo sauce beneath melted mozzarella and curled pepperoni slices in a plain baking dish
Melissa Hart

Alfredo Pizza Pasta

Use pasta as the base of this white pizza-style bake, with pepperoni, mushrooms and mozzarella doing the topping work. Brown the mushrooms first so they don't release a puddle into the Alfredo in the oven. Keep the pepperoni amount moderate. Its fat and seasoning spread through the top as it heats, and more isn't needed to make the dish taste like a pizza night dinner. A short covered bake keeps the penne moist before the final uncovered minutes melt the cheese and curl the pepperoni edges.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz dry penne
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly finely grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt for sauce
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 3 oz thinly sliced pepperoni
  • 5 oz mozzarella cheese grated

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Cook penne in water with the tablespoon salt until 2 minutes short of the package time, then drain.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and cook mushrooms for 7 to 8 minutes until their water evaporates. Transfer to a bowl, melt butter in the skillet and whisk in flour for 1 minute.
  3. Gradually whisk in milk and cream and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, oregano, sauce salt and pepper.
  4. Fold pasta and mushrooms into the sauce and transfer to a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Scatter mozzarella and pepperoni evenly over the top and cover with foil.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover for 8 to 10 minutes until hot at 165°F in the center with melted cheese and curled pepperoni edges. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.