Italian Recipes - Triple-Cheese Macaroni

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp ground allspice

• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• Dash cayenne pepper

• 8 ounces dried whole wheat or regular small shell macaroni, elbow macaroni, or wagon wheel macaroni

• 4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

• 3 eggs

• 1/2 cup dairy sour cream

• 1/4 cup grated Asiago, Parmesan , or Romano cheese

• 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

• Tomato wedges (optinal)

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a small saucepan melt butte rover medium heat. Add milk, salt, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Remove from heat; set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to package directions. Set aside 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander. Immediately place drained pasta in a large bowl. (Should have 4 cups cooked pasta.)

3. Drizzle the reserved pasta water over the drained pasta. While pasta is still hot, stir in the cheddar and fontina cheeses.

4. Whisk eggs and sour cream into milk mixture in saucepan. Stir sour cream mixture into pasta mixture. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole.

5. In a small bowl combine asigao cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over top of pasta mixture.

6. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with tomato wedges.