Penne with 5 Cheeses

I love this recipe for so many reasons. Just look at it! It's creamy and bubbling up with cheesy goodness...five cheeses, in fact. It is a favorite of mine to pack up in a disposable container and bring to friends in need, but it would also be an impressive dish for company. Incredibly easy to throw together, your friends will think you've slaved all day. In reality, all you need to do is heat the oven, cook some pasta and stir together a few ingredients. The beauty of this dish is that you can use whatever cheeses you happen to have. Tonight I used mozzarella, Parmesan and Gorgonzola only and the results were still spectacular. The kids gobble it down and I like it so much more than plain old macaroni and cheese.

Penne with 5 Cheeses

serves 4-6

1 1 lb. bag of good quality, imported pasta

1 pint heavy cream

1 C crushed tomatoes in puree

1 clove of garlic, grated

1/2 C grated fontina

1/2 C grated asiago

2 T ricotta

1/2 C grated mozzarella

1/4 C crumbled blue cheese

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil leaves (about 10), slivered

butter

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and prepare pasta, under cooking it by about 2 minutes. Meanwhile mix in a bowl, cream, tomatoes, garlic, cheeses, basil and salt and pepper to taste. When pasta is cooked, add to bowl with cheese mixture and toss to combine. Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan. Dot the top with butter. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until pasta is bubbling and golden on top.

Notes: when I bring meals to friends, I pack them up in disposable bakeware or storage containers (like gladware).