Spicy Baked Pasta with Prosciutto, Tomatoes and Mushrooms

By Nancy Caivano

Spicy Baked Pasta
with Prosciutto, Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tbsp jar chopped garlic)
1/4 cup thinly sliced prosciutto, julienne
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb fresh, mixed mushrooms,
   thinly sliced (variety your preference)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Salt and Pepper
2 cups plum tomatoes, chopped (about 3 lb)
1 cup grated Fontina cheese (if you
   can't find Fontina, substitute Jack cheese)
1 cup grated Gorgonzola cheese
   (or any blue cheese that you can find)
1-1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
2/3 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup basil, julienne
Cooking Spray
1 lb pasta (I prefer Rigatoni here,
   but any pasta shape will work)

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic, prosciutto and red pepper flakes until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for about 15 minutes or until mushrooms release their liquid and turn golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. In same skillet melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the milk in a stream, whisking constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and add mushroom mixture to sauce, along with the tomatoes, Fontina, Gorgonzola, 1-1/4 cups Romano, the parsley and basil.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 6 minutes; drain. Add pasta to mushroom mixture and season with salt and pepper. Combine well and transfer to prepared baking pan. Top pasta with remaining Romano cheese and bake in oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown on top.