This little oven-baked Florentine bake reminds me of the kind of thrifty, comforting casseroles you’d find on an Amish or Midwestern church supper table. It uses just four ingredients, starts with uncooked bowtie pasta, and leans on canned cream of spinach soup for that gentle “Florentine” touch without any fuss. Everything is simply spread over the dry pasta in a glass baking pan, then left to bubble away in the oven until it’s tender and creamy. It’s the kind of no-fuss, fill-the-pan supper you can pull together on a busy evening, and the sort of dish families tend to circle back to again and again.
Serve this creamy Florentine bake with a simple green salad dressed in vinegar and oil, or a plate of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers when the garden is generous. Warm dinner rolls, buttered toast, or a slice of crusty bread are perfect for soaking up the sauce. A side of steamed green beans or sweet corn rounds out the meal in good Midwestern fashion, and a dish of applesauce or pickled beets on the table brings that old-fashioned country touch.
4-Ingredient Amish Florentine Bowtie BakeServings: 6
Ingredients
12 oz uncooked bowtie (farfalle) pasta
2 cans (10.5 oz each) cream of spinach soup
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
Pour the uncooked bowtie pasta evenly into the bottom of the glass baking pan, spreading it out so it forms a fairly even layer.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the canned cream of spinach soup and the whole milk until smooth and well combined. This mixture should be pourable but still creamy.
Pour the soup and milk mixture evenly over the uncooked bowtie pasta in the glass baking pan. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread and nudge the mixture so it seeps down between the pieces of pasta and covers as much as possible.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top, then use your hands or a spatula to lightly press and spread the cheese so it settles into the creamy soup layer and helps cover the pasta underneath.
Cover the glass baking pan tightly with aluminum foil, making sure it is sealed around the edges so the steam stays inside and helps cook the pasta.
Bake, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pasta is just tender when you poke a piece with a fork and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Carefully remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese evenly over the top, and return the pan to the oven, uncovered.
Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden in spots.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps the sauce thicken slightly and makes it easier to scoop tidy portions.
Variations & Tips
For extra protein, scatter 1 to 2 cups of cooked, diced chicken or ham over the uncooked pasta before adding the soup mixture. If you like a little more vegetable presence, you can stir in a cup of thawed, well-drained frozen spinach or peas with the soup and milk. To give it more of a farmhouse flavor, swap half of the mozzarella for shredded cheddar or Colby Jack. If you prefer a richer sauce, use half-and-half in place of some or all of the milk. For a bit of texture, top the casserole with 1/2 cup buttered breadcrumbs or crushed buttery crackers along with the final sprinkle of cheese. If your oven runs hot or the top browns too quickly, simply lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan for the last few minutes. Leftovers reheat well in a low oven with a splash of milk stirred in to loosen the sauce.
