Pasta Gratin with Béchamel & Ham

Scratch béchamel with hidden carrot and zucchini, ham folded through, cheese browned on top. One pot plus the steam oven, about 35 minutes, for 5 adults.

Updated 2026-06-03 · v1 · pasta / pork

One pot + steam oven · ~35 min · serves 5 adults · the Friday pasta Scratch béchamel, no onion/garlic, hidden carrot. Ham folded through, cheese browned on top. Set the kids’/baby’s portion aside before the ham and salt.

Ingredients

• 450 g pasta (penne, macaroni or fusilli — shapes that hold sauce)
• 200 g cooked ham, diced
• 60 g butter
• 45 g plain flour
• 900 ml milk
• 180 g cheddar, grated (keep ~50 g back for the top)
• 45 g parmesan, grated (keep half back for the top)
• 1–2 carrots, grated (hidden)
• 1 medium zucchini, grated (hidden)
• pinch nutmeg
• salt + pepper, to finish
• 2 heads broccoli

Method — by station

Boil and sauce in the one pot, then it moves to an ovenproof dish to brown. Broccoli steams alongside. Hold back the kids’ portion before the ham goes in.

🔥 In the steam oven (runs alone, then the gratin)

Steam oven — no preheat needed; set it going from cold.

1. Put the broccoli in to steam. Setting: pure steam 100 °C, ~10–12 min.

🍳 On the hob — one large pot

Boil (~8 min)

2. Boil the pasta in unsalted water until just under tender — it finishes in the oven. Rolling boil, then medium. Drain and set aside.

Béchamel, same pot (~10 min)

3. Low–medium heat. Melt the butter, stir in the flour, cook 1 min.
4. Whisk in the milk gradually; simmer ~5 min until it coats a spoon.
5. Stir in the carrot and zucchini; cook 2 min until soft. (Stick-blend here for invisible veg.)
6. Off the heat, stir in the larger share of cheddar and parmesan with the nutmeg until smooth.

🔥 In the steam oven — to brown

1. Fold the pasta into the sauce. Lift out the kids’/baby’s plain portion now — before the ham and salt (ham is salty).
2. Salt and pepper the rest, fold the ham through, tip into an ovenproof dish, and scatter the reserved cheese on top.
3. Setting: combi 190 °C with low/no steam (or hot-air/convection 200 °C), fan on. 12–15 min, until bubbling and golden. Switch to the grill for the last 2–3 min if the top needs colour.

🍱 To assemble

1. Box wedges of the gratin with the steamed broccoli. Cool, then fridge.

Notes

• Pure steam won’t colour the top — you need combi, convection or grill for the gratin crust.
• Reheat in the steam oven with a splash of milk. Keeps 3 days.
• Off-the-bone ham is less processed than packet slices if you can get it.

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