A comforting pasta bake with a lovely smoky flavour from the fish. A great alternative to tuna bake.

The sauce can be made up in advance and left in the fridge. It will take on a lot more flavour from the smoked haddock. Warm it through whilst you cook the pasta so that it will bake quicker and it is easier to stir through the pasta.

Serves 4

Ingredients	Equipment to have ready
4 frozen smoked haddock fillets	Microwavable dish
350ml milk	Weighing scales
30g butter	Measuring spoons
30g plain flour	Large saucepan
5 cubes frozen spinach	Medium saucepan
¼ tsp onion salt	Colander
½ tsp white pepper	Cup
198g tin of sweetcorn, drained	Wooden spoon
300g penne	Spatula
50g gruyere, grated	Jug
	Grater
	Ovenproof baking dish

Method

1. Put the haddock and milk in a microwavable dish and poach until just cooked.
2. Transfer the fish to a plate and set aside. Pour the milk into a jug.
3. Heat the oven to 200C Fan.
4. Cook the pasta in boiling water in a large saucepan until it still has a little bite. 
5. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, keeping back some of the pasta water in a cup in case you need it to loosen the sauce. 
6. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, stir in the flour using a spatula and allow to cook out for a couple of minutes whilst continually stirring.
7. Remove from the heat and gradually add small amounts of milk, stirring to incorporate fully before adding more milk.
8. Once all the milk is in, return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. 
9. Turn down the heat, add the spinach and leave to bubble away for a few minutes, allowing the spinach to defrost. 
10. Remove the skin from the fish and flake it. 
11. Once the spinach is just defrosted, turn off the heat and stir through the onion salt, white pepper, sweetcorn and flaked fish. 
12. Stir the sauce through the pasta. Add a little of the pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce.
13. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle over the cheese.
14. Bake in the oven until hot through and golden brown on top.