Baked Four-Cheese Pasta With Tomatoes and Basil

20
Ingredients

15m
Prep Time

20m
Cook Time

35m
Ready In

Recipe: #3148

November 27, 2011

Categories: Side Dishes Oven Bake,

recipe by:
Galley_Wench

"A great dish to serve as a side dish, or add a salad you have have a great meal! Recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated."

Original is 7 servings

Metric US

I've Tried It

Nutritional

Serving Size: 1 (349.8 g)
Calories 651.4
Total Fat - 30.1 g
Saturated Fat - 15.1 g
Cholesterol - 112.4 mg
Sodium - 906.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 67.1 g
Dietary Fiber - 9.8 g
Sugars - 3.2 g
Protein - 31.7 g
Calcium - 237.8 mg
Iron - 2.8 mg
Vitamin C - 3.3 mg
Thiamin - 0.3 mg

Step 1

Pulse bread in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Transfer to small bowl; stir in Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Set mixture aside.

Step 2

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in stockpot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water; stir to separate pasta.

Step 3

Combine cheeses in large bowl; set aside.

Step 4

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, add tomatoes, and 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 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; cover cream mixture to keep hot and set aside.

Step 5

When pasta is very al dente (when bitten into, pasta should be opaque and slightly underdone at very center), drain about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet.

Step 6

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. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil.

Step 7

Transfer pasta to 13 by 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.