Email to Cat      

Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Pasta

Source of Recipe


Cook's Illustrated



List of Ingredients



• -- Bread Crumb Topping --
  
• 3 to 4 slices white sandwich bread with crusts, torn into quarters
  
• ¼ cup (½ ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
  
• ¼ tsp salt
  
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  
• .
  
• -- Pasta and Cheese --
  
• 4 ounces Italian Fontina cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
  
• 3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
  
• ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 1 pound penne
  
• 1 Tbsp plus ¼ tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
  
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
  
• 1½ cups heavy cream
  
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  






Instructions



1. For the topping:
   Pulse bread in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses (you should have about 1½ cups). Transfer to small bowl; stir in Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Set mixture aside.
   
   
2. For the pasta:
   Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500°. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in stockpot. Combine cheeses in large bowl; set aside. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water; stir to separate pasta. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk flour into butter until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in cream, increase heat to medium, and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 minute to ensure that flour cooks. Stir in remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper; cover cream mixture to keep hot and set aside. When pasta is very al dente, drain about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Add pasta to bowl with cheeses; immediately pour cream mixture over, then cover bowl with foil or large plate and let stand 3 minutes. Uncover bowl and stir with rubber spatula, scraping bottom of bowl, until cheeses are melted and mixture is thoroughly combined.
   
   
3. Transfer pasta to 13- x 9-inch baking dish, then sprinkle evenly with reserved bread crumbs, pressing down lightly. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 7 minutes. Serve immediately.
   
   Serves 4 to 6 as a main course,
   6 to 8 as a side dish.
   
   
   
   BAKED FOUR-CHEESE PASTA WITH TOMATOES & BASIL
   Follow recipe for Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Pasta, adding one 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, to pasta along with cream mixture and stirring in ¼ cup chopped basil leaves just before transferring pasta to baking dish.
   
   BAKED FOUR-CHEESE PASTA WITH PROSCIUTTO & PEAS
   Follow recipe for Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Pasta, omitting salt from cream mixture and adding 4 ounces prosciutto, chopped, and 1 cup frozen peas to pasta along with cream mixture.