Four-Cheese Pasta

Name: Four-Cheese Pasta
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 16 oz uncooked penne pasta (5 cups); 1/2 cup butter or margarine; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 1/2 cups milk; 1 cup shredded provolone cheese (4 oz); 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz); 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz); 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese (2 oz); 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, if desired; 1 tablespoon butter or margarine; 1 cup Progresso™ panko bread crumbs

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Prep 25 min
Total 50 min
Ingredients 13
Servings 6

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by Qué Rica Vida Cocina

Updated Jan 5, 2012

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Ingredients

16 oz uncooked penne pasta (5 cups)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded provolone cheese (4 oz)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz)
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese (2 oz)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, if desired
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup Progresso™ panko bread crumbs

Directions

1

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
2

Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, melt 1/2 cup butter over low heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently. With wire whisk, stir in flour and salt until smooth. Increase heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheeses. Cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Stir pasta and parsley into cheese sauce. Pour mixture into baking dish.
3

In 6-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat; stir in bread crumbs. Cook and stir until crumbs are golden brown. Sprinkle over pasta mixture.
4

Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Expert Tips

tip 1
Four delicate-flavored cheeses, melted and bubbly, surround tender pieces of pasta topped off with crisp golden bread crumbs, creating a dish that will turn any meal into a special occasion--and it fits within the budget, too! Panko bread crumbs are Japanese-style bread crumbs that have a coarser texture and make for a much lighter and crunchier casserole topping. Regular dry bread crumbs will also work, but you may want to use half the amount. The four cheeses in this recipe complement each other, but you can easily use any combination of shredded cheese that you prefer. And check the pantry for other tubular pastas that can be used for the penne.

Nutrition Information

850 Calories, 39g Total Fat, 35g Protein, 91g Total Carbohydrate, 12g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 850

Calories from Fat: 350

Total Fat: 39g; 59%

Saturated Fat: 23g; 113%

Trans Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 100mg; 34%

Sodium: 1390mg; 58%

Potassium: 460mg; 13%

Total Carbohydrate: 91g; 30%

Dietary Fiber: 4g; 16%

Sugars: 12g

Protein: 35g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 30%; 30%

Vitamin C: 4%; 4%

Calcium: 70%; 70%

Iron: 20%; 20%

Exchanges:

5 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 3 High-Fat Meat; 2 Fat;