Fallen Souffle

Who does not like mac and cheese?! Well my husband is one, I almost didn’t marry him because he did not appreciate the creamy goodness of a plate of good ole’ cheddar macaroni and cheese. Heck, he didn’t even eat “orange cheese” when I met him, but we have made progress in that department. But when we saw this recipe on “Everyday Italian” he said he wanted to try it. I could not have run to the kitchen fast enough to start making it. This dish is essentially mac and cheese using fontina as the creamy cheesy goodness.

This is one of those recipes that Evan and I eat about once a month, it is sort of a special treat because it is not the healthiest dish ever, but it is so yummy! The first time I made the bechamel is was rather runny but still baked up fine. I have made it numerous times now, with this past time being the best ever. Practice makes perfect when making a bechamel, don’t fret if it looks a little on the thin side. And I like to think it is a team effort, you need to whisk the sauce constantly while streaming in the milk, and I find on our flat top stove that the pot spins all over the place if I try and do it myself. So Evan is always nearby to help- I think it makes a big difference You could easily use the bechamel for the base of a more “traditional” mac and cheese. Just substitute the fontina with cheddar. Seeing as Evan doesn’t prefer the “orange” cheese as much, this is what we make, a creamy comforting dish that will put anyone in a great mood!

I have made this recipe with and without the prosciutto, and honestly is does lend a nice salty aspect to the dish- but prosciutto can be expensive at times, so we have also used big cubes of ham (available near the bacon) and it still tastes great.

Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
(from Giada de Laurentis)

Bechamel sauce:
1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces)
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature (we use 2%)
Pinch fresh nutmeg
Sea salt and white pepper
1 cup grated fontina

1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned (we have also used big chunks of ham)
1 pound dry rigatoni
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bechamel sauce:
In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Always stirring, gradually add the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 cup fontina, prosciutto and season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add the rigatoni and cook for about 5 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander. Return pasta to the pot and pour in bechamel sauce. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pour the pasta with cream sauce. Smooth out top and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup fontina. Dot the top with diced butter and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

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