Time: 40 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, warm
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup, plus 1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano, separated
1/3 cup, plus 1/4 cupgrated Parmesan, separated
1 pound macaroni or penne
1 head broccoli, cut into medium florets
2 cups baby spinach
2/3 cup coarse toasted breadcrumbs, like panko
Directions:
In a deep, oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk 1/4 cup at a time, and continue to cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cheddar and 1/3 cup of each cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper until the cheese melts. Set aside.
In a large pot, boil the pasta in 2 quarts of water with 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Once it is just shy of al dente, drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Turn on the broiler with a rack at the top. In a large casserole dish, combine the pasta, sauce, vegetables and 1/2 cup of the cooking water and stir until creamy, adding splashes of water if needed. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese browns, 2 to 3 minutes.