This is the kind of dish I reach for on the nights when my mind draws a blank and the pantry has to pull its weight. It leans on old Amish scrapple, that thrifty, seasoned pork loaf so many of us in the rural Midwest grew up with, and turns it into a no-fuss baked pasta. Everything happens right in a glass casserole dish: dry corkscrew pasta on the bottom, raw crumbled scrapple scattered over the top, then just three more everyday ingredients to help it all bake up creamy and comforting. It’s simple, hearty, and very much the sort of “make-do” supper my mother would have called a blessing on a busy day.
Serve this scrapple pasta hot from the oven with a simple green salad or a side of steamed green beans to balance the richness. A slice of buttered white bread or a warm dinner roll fits right in with its country character. If you like a bit of brightness, pass lemon wedges or a splash of vinegar at the table, and always set out black pepper so folks can season to taste. Leftovers reheat well, so this also makes a nice next-day lunch alongside a crisp apple or some cottage cheese.
Oven-Baked Amish Scrapple PastaServings: 4
Ingredients
8 ounces dry corkscrew (cavatappi or rotini) pasta
12 ounces Amish scrapple, crumbled raw
2 cups whole milk
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Set out a 2-quart clear glass casserole dish so you can see the layers as they bake.
Scatter the dry corkscrew pasta evenly over the bottom of the glass casserole dish, making sure it lies in a fairly even layer so it cooks uniformly.
With clean hands, crumble the raw scrapple over the dry pasta, breaking it into small, pea- to marble-sized bits. Let the crumbles fall and scatter naturally so they’re spread across the surface and down into the pasta, as if you’re sprinkling ground meat.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the whole milk and salt until the salt is dissolved. Pour this mixture gently and evenly over the pasta and scrapple in the dish, nudging the pasta a bit with a spoon so some of the liquid seeps down around it.
Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top, covering as much of the surface as you can. The cheese will help form a browned, bubbly lid as it bakes.
Cover the glass casserole dish tightly with foil to trap in steam so the dry pasta can soften as it bakes. Place the dish on the middle oven rack.
Bake covered for 35 minutes, then carefully remove the foil, watching for hot steam. Check that the pasta is starting to soften by poking a piece with a fork; it should have some give but not be fully tender yet.
Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until the top is golden in spots, the scrapple pieces are cooked through and sizzling, and the pasta is tender when you bite into a piece. If the top seems to brown too quickly before the pasta is done, loosely tent with foil again.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest on the counter for 5–10 minutes. This short rest lets the sauce settle and thicken slightly so it serves neatly. Taste a small bite and add a pinch more salt at the table if needed before dishing up generous spoonfuls.
Variations & Tips
For a bit more flavor, you can stir 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper or a pinch of paprika into the milk before pouring it over the pasta. If you like a cheesier top, add another 1/2 cup of cheddar, or swap half the cheddar for Colby or Monterey Jack. A handful of finely chopped onion or a few tablespoons of chopped bell pepper can be scattered over the pasta along with the scrapple for a touch of sweetness and color, though that will technically add more ingredients beyond the basic five. To stretch the dish for more people, use 12 ounces of pasta and add an extra 1/2 cup of milk, checking for tenderness and adding a splash more milk if the pasta seems dry before it’s fully cooked. For a slightly lighter version, you can use 2% milk and reduce the cheese to 3/4 cup, though the sauce will be a bit less rich. Food safety tips: Keep the scrapple refrigerated until you’re ready to crumble it and wash your hands well before and after handling it, since it’s being added raw. Make sure the casserole bakes until the scrapple is fully cooked and the center of the dish is piping hot and bubbling; if you have a thermometer, aim for at least 165°F (74°C) in the middle. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking in a shallow container, and reheat portions until steaming hot before serving again.
