Triple Cheese Spirals

I clipped this recipe out of Food Network magazine about two months ago and finally got around to making it a few days ago.  I have to admit, I didn't have much hope for it at first.  I don't have a heck of a lot of patience sometimes while cooking, especially for making sauces.  I couldn't seem to get the cheese sauce to thicken.  It seemed like it should have been thicker than it was.  When I finally gave up and dumped it into the cooked pasta anyway (see? no patience), it was just a sloppy, watery mess.  Luckily it thickened up and all was well.  This turned out to be creamy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious!

I couldn't find the pasta the recipe called for (gemelli or cavatappi) so I just used rotini.  I used 100% whole grain whole-wheat rotini which explains why this pasta may look a little dark.  We just love whole-wheat pasta and have been eating it exclusively for about three years now.  I think at one time it used to basically taste like cardboard (so I've heard, I was afraid to try it) but it's changed a lot.  If you haven't tried whole-wheat pasta lately, give it a try!  I also used white cheddar as that's what I happened to have in the fridge so it's not as "cheesy" looking (i.e. yellow) as it  probably should be.  It tasted fantastic though!

This was a great dish, one I will definitely make again and one I absolutely recommend.

 

Triple-Cheese Spirals

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12 ounces gemelli, cavatappi or other spiral-shaped pasta (I used rotini)

3 T unsalted butter

1 T all-purpose flour

1 tsp. dry mustard

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 12-ounce/370 ml can evaporated milk

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup shredded yellow sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

2 T chopped fresh parsley, chives and/or scallions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour, mustard and cayenne and stir with a wooden spoon to make a paste.  Cook, stirring, until the paste puffs slightly, about 1 minute.  Whisk in both milks and 1/2 tsp. salt and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened and creamy, 6 to 7 minutes.  Add the cheddar and jack cheeses and all but 2 tablespoons of the parmesan and whisk until melted; keep warm.

Combine the panko, herbs and/or scallions, 1 tablespoon butter and the remaining parmesan in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter melts, about 1 minute.  Toss.

Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup cooking water, and return to the pot.  Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then stir in the cheese sauce, adding the reserved cooking water if needed (I didn't need to).  Season with salt and top with the breadcrumb mixture.

Serves 4

Source:  Food Network Magazine - April 2010