An Andrews Bridge favorite!
1 lb smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb rigatoni, cooked al dente, drained
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3-1/2 cups whole milk (warm in microwave)
1 tb tomato paste
Smoked paprika
Large pinch Cayenne pepper
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 tube Ritz crackers, crushed
To prepare: Heat butter, whisk in flour, then warmed milk. Stir and allow to thicken—about 5 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste, Cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire along with fresh ground black pepper to taste. Add 3/4 lb of both shredded cheeses and stir until melted. Mix cheese sauce and rigatoni (don’t even think about “elbow macaroni;” the sauce fills up the rigatoni rather than just coating it). Pour into greased baking dish. Cover with layer of the crushed Ritz crackers and then cover this with the remaining half pound of shredded cheese. Apply a liberal coating of smoked paprika to add both color and flavor. If serving later, cover and refrigerate.
To serve: Warm to room temperature, then heat uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 F.
November 1, 2010