Categories: Side dishes
Ingredients
- *Original recipe divided by 2
- *Recipe rounded to nearest cooking fraction
- 4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 3/4 pounds cavatappi pasta
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/8 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- Ground white pepper
- 4 ounces freshly grated provolone
- 2 ounces freshly grated fontina
- 2 ounces freshly grated Gruyere
- 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 8 1/2 ounces freshly grated Asiago
- 1/2 pound grated yellow Cheddar
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
Directions
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Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Puree in a food processor and set aside.
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Shock in an ice bath, drain and set aside.
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Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly add the milk to the saucepan and stir until smooth. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid scorching. Season with the mustard, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper. Add the pureed onion. Add the provolone, fontina, Gruyere, Parmigiano-Reggiano and 4 ounces of the Asiago and whisk until the cheeses are completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Combine the pasta with the sauce and adjust any seasoning if needed.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
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Combine the Cheddar, breadcrumbs and remaining Asiago in a medium bowl and mix. Place the pasta in a 9-by-12-inchbaking dish and top with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.