Sophisticated-Palette Pasta - Ramona Journal

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The urge to name this recipe "Grownup Mac and Cheese” was persistent, because its base is cheese and noodles. But this recipe has a mature, upscale twist. There also isn�™t necessarily any "mac,” and there are more ingredients for the sauce than just "cheese.” Therefore, I present "Sophisticated-Palette Pasta,” a rich dish for the most discerning noodle nomad.

The secret ingredient is truffle oil, but use it sparingly. If you�™re new to this punchy flavor, be aware that a little goes a long way.

This recipe yields big flavor in under 20 minutes of work, and you can make it in a pinch with many ingredients you already have on hand.

Get ready to discover that that you can make a dish this delicious faster than you can read the entire Ramona Home Journal.

Ingredients
1 16-oz package of your favorite shaped pasta (macaroni, orecchiette, farfalle, fusilli, etc.)
4 Tbsp butter
¼ cup flour
1.5 cups milk
1.5 cups heavy cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
2 cups white sharp cheddar
Drizzle of truffle oil (start with 1 tsp)
½ cup parsley, chopped

Instructions
The sauce takes about 5 minutes to make, so I recommend waiting to cook the sauce until you add your favorite pasta to the boiling water. The whole process truly is this fast.

Melt butter in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk together until smooth. Lower the temperature to medium and add milk and heavy cream. Whisk and allow to thicken for only a couple minutes. Add Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and hot sauce, and whisk until the sauce is mixed evenly. Add 2 cups of sharp cheddar and mix. Add a drizzle of truffle oil as the last step, then taste the sauce, and add more if desired.

When the pasta is boiled, drain the pot or use a colander to remove water, then put the pasta back in the same pot. Pour your sauce into the noodle pot and cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, so the pasta can absorb the flavors.

Serve with fresh parsley garnish and eat with a fork and your pinky up.