About Casserole:

A casserole, from the French word for "saucepan", is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a casserole dish or casserole pan. In British English, this type of dish is frequently also called a bake, coinciding with the cooking technique used to cook casseroles.
In the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, a casserole is named for its dish, rather than its contents. Casseroles in these countries are very similar to stews. The difference is that once the meat and vegetables are browned on top of the stove, they are then cooked in liquid in the oven, in a closed dish, producing meat that is tender and juicy, from long slow cooking. As the heat is indirect, there is also less chance of it burning. American style casseroles are known in these countries, but on the whole, a casserole there is a stew cooked in the oven.
Casseroles usually consist of pieces of meat (such as chicken) or fish (such as tuna), various chopped vegetables, a starchy binder such as flour, potato or pasta, and, often, a crunchy or cheesy topping.[2] Liquids are released from the meat and vegetables during cooking, and further liquid in the form of stock, wine, beer (for example lapin à la Gueuze), gin, cider, or vegetable juice may be added when the dish is assembled. Casseroles are usually cooked slowly in the oven, often uncovered. They may be served as a main course or a side dish, and may be served in the vessel in which they were cooked.
Types of casserole include ragout, hotpot, cassoulet, tajine, moussaka, lasagne, shepherd's pie, gratin, rice or macaroni timballo, and carbonnade. A distinction can be made between casseroles and stews: stewing is a cooking process whereby heat is applied to the bottom of the cooking vessel (typically over a fire or on a stove), whereas casserole cooking is generally done in an oven to bake where heat circulates all around the cooking vessel. Casseroles may be cooked covered or uncovered, while braises are typically covered to prevent evaporation.


Ingredients :


Coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 pound tubetti or elbow macaroni
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 ounce Parmesan, grated (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced small
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or chicken bouillon + water
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cans (6 ounces each) chicken, drained  or 8 chicken tenders cooked in water and cut into dices
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degree..
Mix bread crumbs, cheese , olive oil...this is for crust...keep it aside

Take a pan and add oil and saute onions,salt and pepper  and once it is translucent add flour and cook it well in oil so the raw smell goes away...this process is done to thicken the sauce....once flour is cooked add stock little by little and mix it well....once it is smooth add milk and chicken pieces(already cooked) and peas and mix well...let it come to boil...
In the mean time a big pot and fill it with water and salt and once it boils add pasta and cook for 7 to 8 min till the pasta is al dente.....
Now strain the pasta and add it immediately to the sauce we made and mix well and put it in a casserole dish and even the top and top it with bread crumb mix we made and even out then put it in oven and bake for 17 to 20 min till u see specks of golden brown bread crumbs....

Then serve hot....



Tips:

Dont put in oven for too long time ,it may get dry.
Dont put too much crumbs on top too,it will be dry.