Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Pasta

(from rosie’s recipe box)

Source: America's Test Kitchen

Serves 5 people

Categories: Pasta, not tried

Ingredients

  • Bread Crumb Topping:
  • 3 or 4 slices white sandwich bread with crusts, torn into quarters
  • 1/4-cup (1/2 ounce) grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4-teaspoon salt
  • 1/8-teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Pasta and Cheese:
  • 4-ounces Italian Fontina cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
  • 3-ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2-cup (1 ounce) grated pecorino romano cheese
  • 1/4-cup (1/2 ounce) grated parmesan cheese
  • 1-pound penne
  • 1-tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2-teaspoons unsalted butter
  • 2-teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4-teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

  1. For the topping: Pulse bread in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses (you should have about 11/2 cups). Transfer to small bowl; stir in Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Set mixture aside.

  2. For the pasta: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees.

  3. Bring 4-quarts water to rolling boil in stockpot. Combine cheeses in large bowl; set aside. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water; stir to separate pasta. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk flour into butter until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in cream, increase heat to medium, and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 minute to ensure that flour cooks. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; cover cream mixture to keep hot and set aside. When pasta is very al dente (when bitten into, pasta should be opaque and slightly underdone at very center), drain about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Add pasta to bowl with cheeses; immediately pour cream mixture over, then cover bowl with foil or large plate and let stand 3 minutes. Uncover bowl and stir with rubber spatula, scraping bottom of bowl, until cheeses are melted and mixture is thoroughly combined.

  4. Transfer pasta to a baking dish, then sprinkle evenly with reserved bread crumbs, pressing down lightly. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

  5. Variations:

  6. Baked Four-Cheese Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

  7. Follow recipe for Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Pasta, adding one 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, to pasta along with cream mixture and stirring in ¼-cup coarsely chopped basil leaves just before transferring pasta to baking dish.

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