Macaroni and cheese cake

8 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1¼ cup Milk
1 can Chicken broth; 13 3/4 or 14 1/2 oz.
3 tablespoons Butter or margarine
½ cup All-purpose flour
½ teaspoon Salt -mac---
⅓ cup Plain dry bread crumbs; plus 2 tablespoons
8 ounces Mozzarella cheese; shredded
⅓ cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese; plus 1 tablespoon
1 cup Finely chopped plum tomatoes
½ cup Julienned fresh basil leaves; plus 1 tablespoon OR 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley plus 1/2 teaspoon, dried basil
¼ Tts freshly ground pepper
1 pinch Red pepper
3 cups Elbow macaroni; cooked
1 tablespoon Butter or margarine; melted
1 cup Seeded; thinly sliced plum tomatoes

Directions

WHITE SAUCE

1. Make White Sauce: Bring milk and broth just to a boil in saucepan. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture and salt; bring to boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 3 minutes.

2. Heat oven to 375øF. Grease 9-inch springform pan and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs; shake out excess.

3. Stir mozzarella, ⅓ cup Parmesan, the chopped tomatoes, ½ cup basil, and freshly ground and red peppers into white sauce. Stir in macaroni; spoon into prepared pan.

4. Combine butter with remaining ⅓ cup crumbs and 1 tablespoon Parmesan in bowl; sprinkle over macaroni. Place on cookie sheet and bake 25 to 35 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Cool 20 minutes. Garnish with tomato slices and remaining basil. Remove sides of pan. Makes 8 servings.

NOTES : This "cake" is really an elegant version of good old mac 'n' cheese. It has all the comfort of the original plus basil and tomatoes.

Prep time: 30 minutes; Baking time: 25 to 35 minutes; Degree of difficulty: Easy PER SERVING; Calories 400; Total Fat 17 g; Saturated Fat 9 g; Cholesterol 48 mg; Sodium 735 mg; Carbohydrates 45 g; Protein 16 g Recipe by: Ladies Home Journal Online : Posted to recipelu-digest by "Valerie Whittle" <catspaw@...> on Feb 20, 1998

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