Baked Two-Cheese Penne with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This is a recipe from one of the many cookbooks I have hidden away. I've been meaning to try it for a while but getting out to get the ingredients.

Truthfully, the only thing I needed was fontina cheese. I was horribly disappointed to find Fontina discontinued at my grocery store. I bought one called Red Rouge instead, it's Fontina like. When I got home I was again sad to see for once I didn't have penne. I had macaroni. Good enough!

Here's the recipe below, and underneath that what I ended up thinking.

1 Cup Uncooked Whole-Wheat Penne
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP Flour
Salt
Pepper
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1 OZ Gouda (Shredded)
2 OZ Fontina (Shredded)
1/4 Cup Panko Bread crumbs
1/2 Cup Roasted Red Pepper
1 TBSP Greek Yogurt

Heat Oven to 350F
Prepare 8" Baking Dish

Bring water to a boil, add pasta, cook, drain and set aside

Reduce Heat to med, add oil, flour, salt and pepper to taste. Cook 1-2 Minutes until flour browns slightly. Stir in milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking to ensure smooth. Stir in cheeses until completely mixed and smooth. Stir in cooked pasta.

Transfer to prepared baking dish.

Top with panko and bake for around 20 minutes.

While baking, add the bell pepper and yogurt to a food processor or blender and process till smooth.

Cut pasta into 4 pieces, drizzle with roasted red pepper sauce.

_____________________________________


Ok, the only things I changed were the cheese and  pasta cut - as I mentioned.

At first glance I knew that this was not going to cover a 8" Square baking dish. I used a 8x5 and it hardly covered that one.

Also I just roasted my own Red Pepper. If you don't know how to do that - its super simple! I cut a red pepper in half, put on a cookie sheet and broiled it for 3 - 5 minutes. Until the skin is black. Place the pepper in a bowl, cover with stretch wrap and leave it till cool. About 10 minutes. When you take the stretch wrap off the bowl, the pepper should peel easily. I had to add an extra spoon of greek yogurt so it wasn't as runny.

I got this from, "The CarbLovers Diet" book. I like this book. Things are filling and the portions are usually good. It says this recipe is supposed to be 433 Calories/Serving. My calculation was much closer to 300. Sooo I had more than the 1/4 of the recipe. About 1/3. If you make this, you'll see, its not alot. I'd like to think its a mistake, but who really knows. Those counts depend on so many things.

I LOVE the addition of the red pepper yogurt sauce. It freshens it up and adds a whole other layer of flavour.

I'd highly recommend this. But cook it in a smaller dish or add more pasta. It was tasty for sure.


Here's a picture, I know - it doesn't look super appetizing. But it is, I promise.