PENNE AND VEGETABLE GRATIN

Penne and Vegetable Gratin image

Yield Serves 4 as main course or 6 as a side dish

Number Of Ingredients 18

1/2 pound penne or other tubular pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3/4 pound vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 cup coarsely grated chilled Fontina cheese (preferably Italian, about 1/4 pound)
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped
For sauce
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
For topping
1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

In a 4-quart kettle bring 3 quarts salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. (Pasta will cook more when baked.) Drain pasta in a colander and rinse well under cold water. Drain pasta well and in a 2- to 2 1/2-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish toss pasta with zucchini, tomatoes, Fontina, and herbs.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Make sauce:
In a large heavy saucepan cook garlic and red pepper flakes in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and salt to taste and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and give off their liquid. Add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, milk, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer sauce, whisking, 30 seconds.
Pour sauce evenly over pasta mixture and shake gratin dish gently to coat pasta mixture with sauce.
Make topping:
In a small bowl with a fork stir together bread crumbs and oil until crumbs are evenly moistened.
Sprinkle topping over pasta mixture and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Cool gratin 10 minutes before serving.