Campanelle and Vegetables With Asiago Fontina Cheese Sauce

I almost didn't try this recipe, and I’m glad I did.  This is a delicious meatless pasta dish that comes out just right.  With, as my husband says, everything we like in it, it’s certainly pretty enough to be the star of a Holiday buffet – alongside tossed salad and with a chewy Italian baguette.   We thought the recipe made 8 servings instead of 6.

I used campanelle as that’s what I could find at our local Fareway, and it was perfect.  The rich sauce and vegetables need sturdy pasta.  Be sure you let this set 5 or 10 minutes to set up, so you can serve it in squares.  I let my pasta and broccoli and carrots drain in a colander, and cooked the mushroom mixture and made the sauce right in the same pan to save on cleanup.  This is on our make-again list soon.

Campanelle and Vegetables With Asiago Fontina Cheese Sauce

  6         Ounces  Campanelle, malfalda, or cavatappi,  dried

  3         Cups  Broccoli Florets

     ½     Cup  Carrots -- coarsely chopped

  14 ½  Ounce Can  Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes -- undrained

  2        Cups  Fresh Mushroom -- sliced

  1        Cup  Onion -- chopped

  3        Cloves  Garlic -- minced

  2        Tablespoons  Olive Oil

  2        Cups  Heavy Cream

  1 ½    Cups  Parmesan Cheese -- or asiago, shredded, 6 ounces

  1 ½    Cups  Fontina Cheese -- shredded (6 ounces)

     ½    Teaspoon  Salt

     ¼    Teaspoon  Black Pepper -- freshly ground

     ¼    Teaspoon  Red Pepper -- crushed

  2       Tablespoons  Flat Leaf Parsley -- snipped (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°.  If desired, break mafalda into bite-size pieces.  In a large saucepan, cook pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli and carrot during the last minute of cooking time; drain well.  Place in an ungreased 3 quart rectangular baking dish; stir in tomatoes, set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook mushrooms, onion, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until liquid from mushrooms is almost all evaporated.  Carefully add cream; bring to boiling.  Boil gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in Parmesan or Asiago, 1 cup of the Fontina cheese, salt, and pepper.

Pour cheese mixture over pasta in baking dish; stir to coat.  Sprinkle with remaining Fontina cheese.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

6-8 Servings

  "Better Homes and Gardens Holiday recipes 2011"

Per Serving (1/8 of recipe): 408 Calories; 36g Fat (78.7% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 117mg Cholesterol; 610mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 6 Fat.