Leslie's Random Acts of Kindness Casserole

I make this easy-peasy, one-pan pasta dish for new parents or stressed-out friends and it always seems to make the evenings go a little more smoothly. The smoked salmon and green pea combo plays up the salty-sweet flavors loads of people crave, and the lemon zest/breadcrumb topping brightens up what could be an over-the-top rich dish.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 34 mins
• Total Time: 59 mins
• Calories: 611 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package fusilli pasta
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen petite peas
• 2 (3 ounce) packages smoked wild salmon, pulled into small pieces
• ⅓ cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Place peas in a large colander in the sink.

Step 4

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until chewy and still firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain fusilli over peas.

Step 5

Return fusilli and peas to the pot. Add heavy cream and smoked salmon; mix well to combine. Season with salt and black pepper. Pour into a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

Step 6

Combine bread crumbs, olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl; mix lightly with a fork. Scatter topping over casserole.