MAC AND CHEESE WITH LEEKS AND GORGONZOLA

MAC AND CHEESE WITH LEEKS AND GORGONZOLA image

Number Of Ingredients 19

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1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 leeks, thinly sliced
Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows
1/2 cup Gorgonzola, crumbled
1/4 cup grated Asiago
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bechamel Sauce
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Cook pasta. 2. Make Bechamel sauce. In a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant, but not brown. Remove the garlic and discard. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the flour to make a roux, cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Heat the milk to just below boiling. Pour 1 cup of milk into the roux, whisking constantly as the sauce thickens. Add the rest of the milk, in 1/2 cup portions, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer the sauce over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring the bottom of the pot with a spatula to prevent burning. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheese, kosher salt and nutmeg to finish the sauce. 3. In a skillet over medium heat melt 2 tablespoons of butter and oil and cook the leeks until tender but not browned. In a bowl combine the cooked leeks with the Bechamel Sauce, Gorgonzola, Asiago, thyme, oregano, and parsley. Toss the sauce with the pasta until well coated and season, to taste. 4. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with the remaining butter. Fill the springform pan with the pasta mixture and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing.