Broccoli Mac and Cheese Gratin

By Judy1

Blanched broccoli boosts the nutritional profile of a familiar cheesy pasta main dish. Besides lending color to the recipe, the green vegetable adds fiber, folate, and vitamin C.

Ingredients

• 4 cups uncooked medium seashell pasta (about 12 ounces)
• 6 cups broccoli florets (about 1 pound)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• Dash of ground nutmeg
• Cooking spray
• 2 (1-ounce) slices white bread

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cook pasta in boiling water 8 minutes; add broccoli. Cook 3 minutes or until pasta is done. Drain.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 45 seconds. Transfer garlic mixture to a small bowl; set aside.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; stir in onion. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 3 cups milk. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to onion mixture. Return pan to medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; stir in the cheeses, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and nutmeg. Add pasta mixture to milk mixture, tossing gently to coat. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine garlic mixture and bread in a food processor; pulse 15 times or until fine crumbs measure 1 cup. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta mixture. Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until the top is brown.