“It was from my dad’s side of the family, going over on Christmas Day to my Aunt Mary’s. They would always have [this], a classic staple of their Christmas spread.” – Josh Galliano
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup butter, divided
¼ cup flour
4 cups milk
1 lb. rigatoni or penne pasta
Olive oil, to prevent sticking
1 cup shredded Fontina
½ cup shredded cheddar
¼ cup shredded asiago
½ cup cubed Velveeta
Pinch of cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup breadcrumbs
Red Gravy, for serving (recipe here)
PREPARATION
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a medium pot, melt œ cup butter over medium heat, then whisk in the flour. Whisk 2 minutes, then add the milk. Bring the bechamel to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and continue whisking about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and place in a large mixing bowl and stir with a drizzle of olive oil.
• Add the Fontina, cheddar, asiago and Velveeta to the bechamel and stir until the cheeses melt. Season to taste with cayenne, salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
• In a small skillet, melt the remaining Œ cup butter over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the breadcrumbs. Stir the breadcrumbs until toasted, about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
• Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix until thoroughly coated, then pour into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Evenly sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs.
• Bake 10 minutes. Serve with Red Gravy.
This article appears in October 2018.