Baked Stuffed Penne with Walnuts and Fried Sage

This was baked stuffed Penne with walnuts and fried sage.

Long time ago we bought giant Penne pasta at an Italian grocery store just for fun. They were so much bigger than our usual Penne. We cooked some and served with tomato sauce, and figured out it wasn't a cleaver idea. Just too huge. After then the rest of them has been sleeping in the pantry, talking a large space.

Here was a wake up call.

Inspired by a recipe "Cannelloni with Walnuts and Fried Sage" from October 2012 issue of Food & Wine, I thought, instead of making fresh pasta sheet for cannelloni, I could use the big penne. Replacing braised beef filling with my own mushroom ragu could make the dish meat free, too. I liked the idea of toasted walnuts and fried sage topping. It would add a pleasant autumn touch. Luckily we had beautiful fresh sage growing in our garden.
 
The dish was absolutely wonderful. J has approved it to be on our regular menu. The best compliment the jumbo Penne could get. 

Baked Stuffed Penne with Walnuts and Fried Sage
SERVES 4

For filling
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
8 oz mushroom, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh thyme
1 cup red wine
1 can petite diced tomato
1 tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbs low-sodium soy sauce
salt
black pepper
3 tbs parsley chopped
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1/4 cup Baby Swiss cheese, grated

10 jumbo Penne, cooked until al-dente about for 15 min

For Bechamel sauce
3 tbs butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated 
nutmeg, grated
salt
black pepper

For topping
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
12 sage leaves
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
2 tbs lemon juice

1. For filling, saute onion, carrot, celery, garlic with a pinch of salt until soften and starting browning, add mushroom and cook with a pinch of salt until their liquid evaporates, add red wine and cook until almost wine evaporates, add diced tomato, tomato paste, chicken stock, bring to boil, cover and simmer for 15 min, uncover, cook until liquid evaporates, adjust taste with salt and pepper, let cool, stir in parsley and cheese.
2. For Bechamel sauce, melt butter, stir in flour and cook until becoming paste, add milk, heat medium, stir constantly and cook until slightly thicken, mix in cheese, sprinkle nutmeg, adjust taste with salt and pepper.
3. Fill Penne with filling, arrange in lightly oiled baking dish, pour Bechamel sauce over the stuffed penne, cover with foil, baked 350 F for 40 min, uncover, bake under broiler until seen bubbling and some blown spots.
4. Pan-fry sage leaves with olive oil and butter, toss with walnuts and lemon juice, spoon over the baked Penne.