Crabby Cheesy Pasta Bake

By Chez_Alexander

Ingredients

• 10 oz rotini or fusilli pasta
• 3 TBS butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 4 oz medium Cheddar cheese, grated
• 6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 2 TBS finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 TBS finely chopped shallots
• 3 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
• 8 oz fresh crabmeat
• 3 slices white bread
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from thenibble.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Boil pasta in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.

3. Place slices of bread on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with seasoning, and bake for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and bake an additional 5 minutes until golden on both sides. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Continue stirring butter and flour mixture over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until it has a slightly nutty aroma. Pour in milk while whisking and whisk until smooth. Cook while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens. Add Old Bay seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and add grated cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in onions, shallots, and cilantro. Stir in pasta and gently fold in crab meat. Spray a large shallow (12" x 1 1/2") ceramic casserole dish with pan spray. Pour in filling and spread out evenly. Grate toasted bread slices and sprinkle over filling.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling around the edge. Serve as an entrée with a side salad.

Makes 8 servings. Each serving = 12 Weight Watchers points.