Three Cheese Creamy Baked Rigatoni

Ingredients:
1 lb rigatoni pasta
6 oz Gruyère
6 oz sharp cheddar
8 oz fresh mozzarella
8 oz cremini mushrooms (buttons or baby bellas will work fine, too), sliced.
6 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c flour
2c milk (I used 2%)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
pinch of nutmeg
Basil for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Grate Gruyère and sharp cheddar, then grate or dice fresh mozzarella. Set aside. Boil water and prepare pasta according to directions on package, but undercooking by 3-4 mins.

While the pasta cooks, melt 1 Tbsp butter in an oven-safe skillet. Add 1 clove’s worth of the garlic and stir until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in sliced mushrooms and saute until they begin to release water and shrink, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Drain pasta.

Melt 5 tbsp of butter in the same skillet. Add remaining garlic, stir for 30 seconds. Add flour and whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes to create a roux. When golden brown, add milk and continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes. Set aside ½ c of grated cheese and half of the fresh mozzarella. Dump remaining cheese into the sauce and stir for 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce has thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add cooked pasta and mushrooms and toss thoroughly to coat. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 30-35 minutes until top is bubbling and golden brown.

Serve immediately