tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31132443.post-1155601293373306322006-08-14T20:03:00.000-04:002006-08-14T20:29:01.036-04:00<img src="http://static.flickr.com/92/215504030_a77b033bc5.jpg" border=1><br /><br />Fontina cheese is the star of this meal. Fontina is an Italian cow's milk cheese that has been made in Val d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) since the 12th century. Italian Fontina can be identified by a Consorzio ("Consorzio Produttori Fontina") stamp of production. This cheese has a creamy, almost buttery texture. It melts easily and smoothly, which makes it perfect for this recipe. <br /><br /><b>Servings:</b> 4-6<br /><br /><b>Ingredients:</b><br />5 ½ tbsp unsalted butter<br />1 cup heavy cream<br />8 oz. Italian Fontina cheese (about 2 cups)<br />Salt<br />1 lb. pasta (shells or elbows would work)<br />1 pinch of nutmeg (I didn't have any nutmeg, so I left this out)<br />⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs (I used panko breadcrumbs)<br />¼ freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese<br /><br /><b>Directions:</b><br />Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use ½ tbsp of butter to grease a 13 x 9" baking dish and set aside. Dice 4 tbsp of butter and place in a large bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat. Cover, remove from heat, and keep the cream warm. Shred the fontina (about 2 cups). Set aside. When the water comes to a boil, add salt to taste and the pasta. Cook until they are 1-2 mins shy of al dente (about 6-7 mins) and drain. Stir the shells into the bowl with the butter. Toss well to coat. Stir in the warm cream and fontina. Stir until the cheese starts to melt. Season with salt to taste. Add nutmeg (if using). Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs and parmesan and sprinkle over pasta. Dice the remaining tbsp of butter and dot the crumb topping with small pieces of butter. Bake until the sauce is bubbling, and the top turns golden brown, about 20 mins.Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03102538067576069201noreply@blogger.com