Author Notes
For this I was looking for creamy mac and cheese without an overpowering cheddar bite. The ricotta smooths it all out, the cayenne and white pepper gives a warm bite, plus my husband will eat anything that has spinach in it. —inpatskitchen
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Ingredients
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6 tablespoons
butter
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1/4 cup
flour
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2 cups
whole milk
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A few gratings of nutmeg
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1 cup
whole milk ricotta
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1 cup
grated medium cheddar cheese
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1/4 teaspoon
cayenne pepper
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1 1/2 teaspoons
salt
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1 teaspoon
white pepper
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2 tablespoons
chopped fresh basil
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3
handfuls ( or more) fresh baby spinach leaves
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8 ounces
ziti or shells, cooked al dente
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1/2 cup
grated medium cheddar for the topping
Directions
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In a medium sauce pot melt the butter and whisk in the flour to make a light roux.
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Over medium heat, slowly add the milk while continually whisking. Whisk until the mixture thickens.
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Add the nutmeg, cayenne, basil, salt and pepper and stir. Stir in the the ricotta and cheddar until melted
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Stir in the spinach leaves and stir the mixture until the spinach wilts.
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Combine the cooked pasta with the cheese spinach mixture and turn into small shallow casserole dish ( I used a nine inch round ceramic baking dish). Sprinkle the 1/2 cup cheddar over the top.
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Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly.
I think I get my love for food and cooking from my mom, who was an amazing cook. She would start baking and freezing a month before Christmas in order to host our huge open house on Christmas afternoon. I watched and I learned...to this day I try not to procrastinate when it comes to entertaining.
My cooking style is pretty much all over the place, although I'm definitely partial to Greek and Italian cuisine. Oh yes, throw a little Cajun in there too!
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