Baked Pasta in White Sauce

Found this off the internet.

SAUCE

• 2 TBSP unsalted butter


• 3 TBSP flour


• 1/8 tsp nutmeg


• salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste


• 2 cups milk, heated

FOR THE PASTA

• 1 cup grated cheese: Parmesan, Pecorino, Cheddar, BelPaese, Swiss


• 1-2 cups cooked ham, chopped


• 1/4 cup butter


• salt and pepper to taste


• l4 oz short pasta (penne, ditali, maccheroni, ziti, mostaccioli, etc)

FOR THE SAUCE:

1. MELT the butter in a saucepan over very low heat till liquified and just bubbling.

2. ADD the 1 T of flour to the butter, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon till smooth - then slowly add the rest of the flour and stir till smooth.

3. ADD the milk  1/4 cup at a time. When milk is absorbed by the butter-flour mixture, add a little more increasing quantities as you go along.

4. ADD nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and continue stirring with the sauce at a slow bubble till sauce has the consistency of heavy cream. You can add red pepper flakes as well according to taste.

REMOVE from heat and keep warm until ready to use.

FOR THE PASTA:

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees F. with baking rack 1/3 - 1/2 up from bottom.

COOK the pasta in about 6 quarts of boiling, salted water (about ten minutes).

RETURN the sauce to low heat and add the grated cheese, stirring until cheese is absorbed into the sauce.

DRAIN the pasta, pour out the pasta water, return the pasta to the pot. Pour in three-quarters of the sauce and mix it together very thoroughly. Add the chopped ham and mix again.

GREASE a large ovenproof dish with half the butter (or a t of olive oil), pour in the pasta, distributing it evenly in the dish. Pour over the remaining sauce and dot the top with butter.

BAKE in a preheated 400 oven for 20 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Remove, rest for 5 minutes and then serve.

Voila, enjoy!