Italian Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 pound rotini
  • 1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage (I used hot)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 package mushrooms, sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 C. shredded Italian 4 cheese
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco), optional
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan, a couple of handfuls

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.

In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.

Preheat broiler to high.

To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 1 and 1/2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.

Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or oven safe serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.

*recipe from Rachel Ray, slightly adapted

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