Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup small macaroni Pasta
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• Chopped vegetables – As needed for topping
• Salt as needed
• 1 tsp Italian herb
• 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

Method:

1. Cook pasta as per package instructions with salt. Drain and keep aside. After cooled down, mix with grated mozzarella. Preheat oven at 190 deg. C. Grease a muffin pan with olive oil. Dust it with bread crumbs generously. Tap off the excess crumbs.
2. Top with the vegetables of your choice. I used broccoli, spinach(both blanched) and onion,tomato and capsicum. I used broccoli in 2, spinach in 2 separately and onion tomato capsicum together in 2 muffins. Top again with mozzarella if you want.
3. Then sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over every muffin and drizzle some olive oil over it.
4. Bake this for 15-18 minutes or until a golden crust is formed. Cool down for 4 minutes and spoon out each one carefully.

   Notes:

5. I have made this 2-3 times and the first time I did not dust the muffin pan initially with bread crumbs. Then realized its necessary for a nice crusty layer that helps in holding the shape too. So don’t skip that step.
6. You can mix as less as 1/4 cup cheese with the pasta. This cheese also helps in binding the pasta together and hold its shape.
7. I blanched broccoli and spinach in the same water I boiled the pasta.
8. Depending upon the oven model, the baking time may vary. So bake until you get a crusty golden coloured top.

   Recipe and Image courtesy: Rak`s Kitchen