FUSILLI WITH THREE CHEESES AND RED BELL PEPPER

FUSILLI WITH THREE CHEESES AND RED BELL PEPPER image

Number Of Ingredients 8

4 tablespoon(s) butter
2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 pound(s) fusilli
1/4 pound(s) fontina, grated (about 1 cup)
3 ounce(s) mozzarella, grated (about 3/4 cup)
6 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper

Steps:

# In a medium frying pan, melt one tablespoon of the butter over moderately low heat. Add the bell peppers and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. # 2. Heat the broiler. Butter a large shallow baking dish. # 3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fusilli until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot. Toss the pasta with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and 3/4 teaspoon salt, the sautéed bell peppers, the fontina, mozzarella, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan and the black pepper. # 4. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Broil until the top starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with additional Parmesan. # 5. Notes: Browned and Bubbling: Cheese often turns stringy when tossed with hot pasta. Broiling the dish after tossing melts the strings into a smooth sauce. An added bonus: that irresistible brown crust. # 6. Wine Recommendation: Creamy cheeses need a light red wine as a foil for their richness. A weighty Chianti Classico or Riserva would be overpowering here, but a basic Chianti, with its slight bitter-cherry flavor, will strike just the right balance.