Kicking off this recipe website with my one true love and something I could undoubtedly eat every day for the rest of my life.
The recipe that I used is adapted from Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
Makes about 8 servings-
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup italian breadcrumbs (I like using italian breadcrumbs instead of panko since it already has some parmesan and seasonings in it)
- 12 oz pasta of choice (I used cavatappi)
- 3.5 cups milk (whole or 2% is fine - I used whole).
- Alternatively, you can use 2 cups of milk and 1.5 cups of half and half for a creamier consistency. You can also use 2 cups of milk and 1.5 cups of cream for maximum creaminess, but beware that it would make the dish heavier. So many options.
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (1 clove)
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup/4 oz grated fontina cheese
- 1 cup/4 oz grated gruyere
- 8 oz grated sharp white cheddar
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano (I used pecorino romano)
- pinch of paprika (optional)
- pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
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Cook 12 oz pasta (about 3/4 of a standard box) according to directions until al dente, and then drain it. You can leave it in the colander or move it to a bowl.
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While the pasta cooks, melt 2 tbsp of butter in a small skillet. Once melted, add the italian breadcrumbs and stir until darkened (~5 minutes on medium heat). Move to a bowl.
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Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. Once melted, add garlic and stir for about a minute. Next, add the flour and stir until the consistency is completely smooth, and then continue stirring for a minute. Very gradually, begin adding the milk (and half and half and/or cream, if using) and stir well after every addition. I like to start by adding about 1/4 cup of milk at first, mixing until all the clumps are gone, and then slowly increasing the quantity of milk being added until all 3.5 cups are incorporated and there are no clumps. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5-8 minutes.
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
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Next, add all of the cheeses - fontina, gruyere, white cheddar, and parmesan (or pecorino romano, if using), and stir to combine. The sauce will experience some serious thickening at this point. Add seasonings to taste - paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined, and then add the pasta, and stir to mix. Remove from heat.
- Grease an 8x8 dish with at least 2 inch depth, and transfer pasta to the dish.
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Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top, followed by the parsley (you can also add the parsley after baking the pasta instead of before). You can add some extra parmesan (or pecorino romano) here if you would like to as well.
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Bake for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling. Let cool and serve.