Pasta Bake

[PopPopParty]

If you're making pasta bake from a jar (no judgement pls ) do you follow instructions or wing it?

DP likes it cooked to the letter, weighing, jar sauce, water, oven cook for 5 hours requisite amount of time.

Whereas I cook the pasta first (without weighing), then chuck in veg, stir in the sauce and put cheese on top and into the oven cook for 20 mins.

He thinks this is "all wrong" and tastes different . I think it's pasta bake. Tastes like pasta bake surely?! 🤷

I wing it, the amount of pasta they say to use doesn't seem like enough, i throw the sauce over it then fill with water to mix and cover

Well for a start, I just use one jar for my and DH when I imagine it's supposed to contain a stupidly high number of ridiculously small servings!

I live on my own, I eat half then save the rest in a tupperware for the next day

I would do it the same as you . I just use the sauce like any other pasta sauce and just pop in oven for short while to melt the cheese

I also cook the pasta first. The pasta is crap otherwise!

I follow the rules. I still get it wrong. I’m. A Terrible cook.

I do exactly the same as you.

I don't make pasta bake as it takes so long and the pasta is always too hard - I am going to make it your way as it sounds far better.

I mean, I can see how the preparation could lead into a difference in taste

I didn’t know there were rules?

Wing it.

Cook the pasta, throw it in an oven dish, throw anything else I want in there, add sauce, stir and some cheese on top.

I actually wasn’t aware there was a proper way or recipe 😂

I meant the difference in preparation could lead to a different taste in each dish. His pasta bake may very well taste differently to yours.

I’m going to make one tonight, thank you all. I was wondering what to make!

I cook the pasta to half done then in the oven with the sauce

What kind of sauce does everyone use?

the tuna pasta bake one

Cook the pasta for half the time it says on the packet like Italians do.
But wing it basically. Like Italians do.

I am going to baptise my new instant pot with a pasta dish tonight... wish me luck.

I’ve never cooked or eaten a pasta bake in my life.

It wasn’t something ever made at home growing up.

Maybe just do your own sauce with a tin of tomatoes and wing it?

I don't weigh it because I'm not 14 and in cooking class in school. But I do cook it for about the right amount of time. It's always better the next day when the huge amount of cheese I've added has congealed into a pizza like crust.

@Sarahandduck18

I’ve never cooked or eaten a pasta bake in my life.

It wasn’t something ever made at home growing up.

Maybe just do your own sauce with a tin of tomatoes and wing it?

Not even lasagne?

I didn’t know they had pasta bake instructions on the jar!

But you have to use water with those sauces because they’re more concentrated aren’t they, will it not be too salty to just use it undiluted?

I didn't know there are proper instructions ...

My kids love pasta bake but they are all on adult portions now. So I throw in a jar of sauce, half jar of water, tub of passata or tin of chopped tomatoes, squirt of Tom purée and half a stock cube then mix in enough pasta so it's all over the sauce. Cook for 25 minutes then add tons of grated cheese and turn down for another 10- 15 minutes.