*Baked Rigatoni with Four Cheeses*
Serves 4 to 6 Rich and indulgent. The original recipe is one by James McNair. I added tuna and cooked broccoli. 1 pound dried pasta, such as rusilli, penne, rigatoni or ziti 6 TBS butter 70g plain flour (1/2 cup) 960ml milk (4 cups) 480ml evaporated milk (2 cups) freshly ground black pepper to taste freshly grated nutmeg to taste 180g each grated Gruyere, Emmenthaler and strong Cheddar cheese (1 1/2 cups each) 180g grated Parmigiano Reggiano (1 cup) 1 tin of albacore tuna in water, drained (7 ounces) broken into chunks 2 cups cooked broccoli florets
Heat a large saucepan of generously salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until done to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well, rinse in cold water and drain again. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Spread the pasta out in the dish. Top with the flaked tuna and broccoli. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk together, cooking over low heat for about five minutes. Remove and set aside. Combine the milk and evaporated milk in a large saucepan and heat just to the boil. Pour all at once into the pan with the flour/butter mixture and whisk together until smooth. Season with some salt, ppper and nutmeg. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Pour this evenly over top of the tuna, pasta and broccoli in the casserole dish. Mix together all of the cheeses and sprinkle them evenly over top of all. Bake in the preheated oven for about half an hour. Place under a heated grill to gild the cheese if desired. - you can leave out the tuna and broccoli if you wish. |
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