Jazzy Mac n Cheese

Ingredients

• 4 cups macaroni, cooked al dente
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 chopped shallots
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons butter, melted
• 1-1/2 cups evaporated skim milk
• 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon minced tarragon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tomatoes

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large soufflé dish and set aside. Put cooked macaroni in a large mixing bowl. Sauté mushrooms, shallots and celery in butter over low heat for 5 minutes, until cooked, but firm. Add to macaroni and toss.

Combine milk, ricotta, egg, bell pepper, tarragon, salt, pepper and nutmeg, and beat until well blended. Pour mixture over the macaroni and transfer macaroni to the soufflé dish. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, lemon zest and bread crumbs.

Slice tomato thinly and pat dry. Starting from the center, form a spiral across the top of the macaroni with the tomatoes, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top and bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Makes 8 servings