Pasta and Broccoli Gratin with Tomato Sauce

For the gratin: cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, drain, rinse in cold water and drain again. Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and saute, stirring, until lightly browned. Add broth with milk, stirring, and bring to a boil.  Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and simmer on very low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Crumble feta and cut cooked ham into cubes. Rinse broccoli, peel stalks and cut into small cubes, cut florets into bite-sized pieces.

Combine pasta with sauce, feta, diced ham and broccoli and spread in a greased baking dish. Cut mozzarella into slices and place on top. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C (approximately 350°F) for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.

For the tomato sauce: peel shallots and chop finely. Cook bacon in a pan briefly, add shallots and saute until translucent. Add tomato paste and canned tomatoes with their juice, mash with a potato masher and season with sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes.