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Recipes

Three-Cheese Pasta Gratin with Almond Crust

By Michael McLaughlinPhotography by Richard Eskite

5.0

(4)

Image may contain Food Macaroni Pasta Cutlery and Spoon

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients

3

tablespoons butter

1

garlic clove, pressed

3

tablespoons all purpose flour

4

cups hot whole milk

10

ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 3 cups)

8

ounces hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2 1/2 cups)

1

2/3 cups lightly packed grated Parmesan cheese

1

teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1

/2 cup whole almonds

1

/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

1

pound short tube-shaped pasta (such as cavatapi or macaroni)

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour; stir 3 minutes. Whisk in hot milk. Bring to simmer, stirring. Cover partially; simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheddar and Jack cheese, 1 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese and hot pepper sauce. Whisk until sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Whisk over medium heat to rewarm before using.

    Step 2

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter bottom and sides of 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Blend 1/3 cup Parmesan, almonds and breadcrumbs in processor until nuts are coarsely ground. Add 1/2 cup almond mixture to prepared dish. Tilt dish to coat bottom and sides. Return any loose almond mixture to processor.

    Step 3

    Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain well. Return pasta to pot. Add sauce; stir to coat. Transfer to prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining almond mixture over.

    Step 4

    Bake until almond mixture is golden and crunchy and sauce bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes.

Explore Bon AppétitGratinMacaroniPasta & NoodlesCheddarCheeseMonterey JackEasyMainSideVegetarianDinner