Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce

Submitted by seahorse73

"Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis This is a great side dish or main dish!"

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• Bechamel sauce

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 10 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 pinch fresh nutmeg
• sea salt
• white pepper
• 1 cup grated fontina
• 1⁄2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
• 1 lb dry rigatoni pasta
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Bechamel sauce: In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
3. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes.
4. Always stirring, gradually add the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
5. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. This will take approximately 10 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 cup fontina, prosciutto and season with salt and white pepper.
8. Set aside.
9. In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water.
10. Add the rigatoni and cook for about 5 minutes.
11. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard.
12. Drain in a colander.
13. Return pasta to the pot and pour in bechamel sauce.
14. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.
15. Into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pour the pasta with cream sauce.
16. Smooth out top and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup fontina.
17. Dot the top with diced butter and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Reviews

[Kathy]

Delicious! Hubby usually likes red sauce with his pasta, but he raved about this dish when we had it last night for dinner.

 

[MARIA MAC]

I have been making this for awhile now. We love it. Thanks for posting

 

[FriendlyChefy]

Such a good stick to the ribs meal and one we will be repeating according to the family!

 

[HeidiSue]

Wow, was this yummy! I can't believe how easy it was on top of it all, very impressive. I halved the recipe and it was more than enough for the two of us. The combination of flavors...nutmeg, fontina, prosciutto...just fabulous! Thanks so much for an instant favorite!

 

[Liza at Food.com]

I've been making this for years, but calling it Italian Mac N Cheese...so glad you posted it for easy access. Thanks so much! It is heaven...the bite of the fontina coupled with the salty proscuitto make it a hit, i also add a little parmesan cheese b/c you can always use more cheese, right!? Everyone raves.