Macaroni and Fontina Cheese (from the Dean and Deluca Cookbook)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 small yellow and/or orange bell peppers, trimmed and cut into very thin strips
- 2 small zucchini (6 ounces total), cut crosswise into thin slices, then into thin strips
- 2 small yellow crookneck squash (6 ounces each), cut crosswise into thin slices, then into thin
- strips
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 8 ounces imported Italian penne or another short tubular shape
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/4 cups grated Italian fontina cheese
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat and stir in the onion.
- Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Raise the heat slightly and add the bell peppers.
- Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and yellow squash and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Cook the pasta in a large kettle of boiling salted water for 4 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water.
- Heat the butter in a medium-size heavy saucepan over moderate to moderately high heat until it becomes a medium nutty brown, being careful not to burn it.
- Stir in the flour, rosemary, sage and bay leaf.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Slowly add the milk and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce is very thick--the consistancy of sour cream.
- Strain the sauce and season well with salt and pepper.
- Cool slightly.
- Return the pasta to the same large kettle and stir in the sauce.
- Add the vegetables and 1 cup grated fontina and blend completely.
- Place the mixture in a deep earthenware or glass baking dish (about 9 inches by 13 inches by 2 inches).
- Sprinkle with the remaining fontina.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the pasta is brown and crunchy on top.
- Suggested drink: Sauvignon, Castello della Sala, Umbria.
olive oil, onion, clove garlic, yellow andor, zucchini, crookneck, salt, italian penne, unsalted butter, allpurpose, rosemary, sage, bay leaf, milk, grated italian
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/macaroni-and-fontina-cheese-from-the-dean-and-deluca-cookbook-recipe.html (may not work)