FEBRUARY 2020 43
Creamy Baked Pasta with
Gruyère and Prosciutto
ACTIVE 25 MIN; TOTAL 35 MIN
SERVES 6
For the simplest, creamiest baked pasta,
take a cue from chef Ashley Christensen
of Poole’s Diner: Trade the béchamel for
this much easier sauce of heavy cream
simmered with plenty of nutmeg and two
kinds of cheese. A brief stint under the
broiler is all it takes to complete the dish.
1 (16-oz.) pkg. gemelli pasta or other
short pasta, such as penne or elbow
macaroni
16 oz. Gruyère cheese, finely shredded
(about 4 cups)
3 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,
finely shredded (about 1^1 / 4 cups)
3 cups heavy cream
11 / 2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly grated whole nutmeg
Thinly sliced prosciutto, for serving
- Cook pasta in salted water according to
package directions until barely al dente,
about 10 minutes (about 3 minutes less
than package directions indicate). Drain
and immediately transfer to a large
rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single
layer. Set pasta aside. Toss together
Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a
medium bowl, and set aside. - Preheat broiler to high with oven rack in
middle of oven. Bring heavy cream and
salt to a simmer in a large saucepan over
high. Reduce heat to medium; stir in nut-
meg, and simmer, stirring often, 2 min-
utes. Remove from heat. Stir in 4^1 / 4 cups
of the cheese mixture, in small batches,
stirring until cheese is melted after each
addition. Stir in cooked pasta. Spoon
pasta mixture into a 2^1 / 2 -quart broiler-
proof baking dish; top with remaining 1
cup cheese mixture. - Broil in preheated oven until cheese is
melted and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with thinly sliced prosciutto.
MAKE AHEAD Recipe may be prepared 1
day in advance through step 2, increasing
salt from 1½ teaspoons to 2 teaspoons.
Cover and refrigerate; let come to room
temperature before broiling.
WINE Rich, savory Italian white: 2017
Planeta Cometa