Three-Cheese Pasta Bake****

By Gigirox

image courtesy of myrecipes.com here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/three-cheese-pasta-bake-10000001694205/

Ingredients

• 1 lb (500 g) macaroni, or other small pasta
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
• 4 cups (1 L) 2% milk
• ¹⁄8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground nutmeg
• 1 8 oz (225 g) pkg cream cheese (full fat)
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) grated old cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (250 mL) grated Swiss Gruyère
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry breadcrumbs

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from canadianparents.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and boil, uncovered, until just tender to taste. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°f (180°c).

3. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour. Stir this roux with a wooden or nonreactive spoon until it has a lightly nutty aroma but no color, about 5 minutes.

4. Slowly whisk in the milk, then bring the entire mixture up to a simmer, whisking constantly. If you get lumps, strain the sauce and return it to the heat. Add the nutmeg and whisk in the cream cheese until smooth.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the cheddar and Gruyère until melted. Stir in the reserved macaroni and spoon into an 8-cup (2 L) baking dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges.

5. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.


FRESH TAKE

* Making a good cheese sauce is rooted in the world of classical French sauce preparation. This recipe is known in textbooks as Mornay sauce. The end result might be humble and comforting, but the technique is 100 percent professional.

* Cream cheese is my little trick here (as in the Quesadillas too). It keeps the sauce smooth, and its “tang” keeps the sauce from tasting too heavy.

* There’s no technical chef’s secret behind cooling the dish for 10 minutes before serving. If you take a bite of the bubbling cheesy goodness without waiting first . . . ow!!!