MACARONI AND FONTINA

Here's another recipe for mac and cheese that includes vegetables, a nice change, and one that makes for a hearty meal. This also uses whole wheat pasta. This is a little more complicated than some recipes and I haven't tried it, but it sounds really good.

 

MACARONI AND FONTINA

serves 6 as a main course

10 as an appetizer course

 

 

1 T olive oil, plus some for cooking pasta (optional, but advised)

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, slivered

2 small yellow bell pepper, trimmed, seeded and cut into very thin strips (about 1/4" x 2 1/2")

2 small orange bell peppers, like above

2 small zucchini (3-oz each) cut crosswise into thin diagonal slices, then into strips

2 small yellow crookneck squash (3-oz each), like above

coarse sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

8-oz imported sedani or mostaccioli, preferably whole wheat (large tube shaped, like penne)

3 T unsalted butter

3 T flour

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 fresh sage leaves

1 bay leaf, preferably imported

1 1/2 C milk

1 1/4 C grated fontina cheese, preferably Fontina Valle d'Aosta

 

1. Preheat oven to 425.

 

2. Heat olive oil in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat and stir in onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Raise the heat slightly and stir in the bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and set aside.

 

3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Add olive oil, if desired, to keep the pasta from sticking together. Drain the pasta, run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, then drain again. Set aside.

 

4. Make the béchamel sauce: heat the butter in a medium size saucepan over medium to medium high heat until it becomes very dark brown but not burned. Stir in the flour, rosemary, sage and bay leaf. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce is the consistency of thick sour cream. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly.

 

5. Return pasta to the large pot and stir in the béchamel sauce. Add the vegetables and 1 cup of the grated fontina. Place the mixture in a deep earthenware or glass baking dish (about 13 x 9 x 2). Sprinkle with the remaining grated fontina.

 

6. Bake for 20 minutes, until the pasta is browned and crusty on top.