Baked macaroni with zucchini and three cheeses

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pounds Macaroni, elbow
6 tablespoons Unsalted butter; plus more if needed
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 mediums Zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced
1½ cup Mushrooms; sliced
1 Med-lg onion; coarsely
Chopped
1 medium Red bell pepper, seeds
& ribs removed; cut in
1/2\" dice
2 Garlic cloves; minced
¼ cup Flour
1 quart Cold milk
1 teaspoon Salt; plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, freshly grated; plus more to taste
½ cup Sour cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; plus more to taste
Few drops tabasco sauce
1½ cup Sharp cheddar cheese;
Grated
1½ cup Swiss cheese; grated
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, packed

Directions

Recipe by: From The Farmers' Market - ISBN 0-06-055005-8 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, about 8 mins. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Set aside. 2. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs of butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and the mushrooms and saute, tossing occasionally, for 5 mins. Transfer to plate; set aside. 3. Add 3 Tbs of the butter to the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, red pepper, and garlic and saute, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not brown, about 8 mins. 4. Sprinkle the vegetables in the skillet with the flour and stir with a wooden spoon. If the mixture is too dry to stir, add a bit more butter. Cook until the flour is opaque, about 4 mins. Add the milk to the skillet and bring to a boil, stir occasionally. Add the salt and nutmeg and simmer the sauce 5 mins. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the sour cream, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Correct all seasonings. 5. In a large mixing bowl (or the pot used to cook the macaroni), toss together the drained macaroni, reserved zucchini mixture, and the sauce. Combine the grated Cheddar and Swiss cheeses; set aside ¼ cup of this mixture. Add the grated cheese mixture to the macaroni, stirring gently to combine thoroughly, and transfer to a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Combine the reserved ¼ cup cheese with the grated Parmesan; scatter this mixture over the macroni and dot with the remaining Tbs butter. 6. Bake until crusty, about 45 mins. Run under the broiler just until nicely golden, about 45 seconds (watch carefully). Serve immediately.

NOTES : Here's an interesting and colorful variation of everybody's favorite.

From: Dan Klepach

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