Farmer's Pasta

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Gooey Good Food

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (199)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(199)

Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
8 servings

Times:

Prep: 25 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 45 min
Total:: 1 hr 10 min

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Ingredients

Butter, for greasing pan
2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil
6 ounces pancetta, chopped
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups whole milk
8 ounces Fontina cheese, grated
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
6 ounces provolone cheese, grated
1 pound rigatoni pasta
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh coarse bread crumbs
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

Butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a small bowl. Pour off all but 1/4 cup of the pan drippings (if necessary, add more oil to the pan drippings to equal 1/4 cup total). Reduce the heat to medium. Add 3 teaspoons of garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in all the Fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan, and provolone cheeses.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until almost al dente, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. (The pasta will continue cooking in the oven.) Drain pasta and add directly into the cheese. Add the parsley, basil, and pancetta and toss to coat. Season the pasta mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared dish.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Add the bread crumbs and toss to coat. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the pasta mixture. Drizzle the top with extra-virgin olive oil and bake until the sauce bubbles and the bread crumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Farmer's Pasta
Patty burdine, KY 11-06-2009
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Great Dish!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I followed this recipe exactly the only thing I did change was the parsley & basil 3 tablespoons seemed to be a bit too much... for me so I only added 1 tsp of each and I thought it was wonderful! Really tastey! My 15 year old son wants it again he was in awe of how good it was he also helped make it! Thanks Giada! Read more
recipe Farmer's Pasta
Melanie Maricopa, AZ 10-31-2009
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Cheesy, Creamy, All Grown-Up Mac n Cheese
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Those of you who rated this on the low side, stating it was "BLAND", may want to try again following these suggestions: Many... reviews mentioned the cost of this dish, so to cut the cost use 2 1/2 bags of shredded Italian Cheese Blend i.e. Sargento or Kraft and use a good quality bacon in place of the pancetta. If your sauce doesn't thicken up with the recommended 1/3 c of flour try mixing 1T each, flour and butter, together to form a paste then add to sauce. Remember, whenever you are making pasta, the water should be as salty as the ocean, it's the only way to make sure the pasta itself is seasoned. CAUTION! DO NOT OVER COOK PASTA at this point. You want the pasta UNDERDONE or FIRM so it will finish cooking in the oven. In the oven the pasta will absorb liquid which will infuse it with more flavor as well as help thicken the sauce. Mix bread crumbs with garlic sauteed in olive oil AND butter. Moisten the bread crumbs with a combination of melted butter and olive oil. This is a great comfort dish and worth trying again if at first you didn't succeed. Good Luck and Happy Eating.Read more
recipe Farmer's Pasta
null null, null 08-14-2009
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OK but wouldn't make again
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

Made this for dinner last night. Fould that the sauce did not thicken (even after 10 minutes) and once I added the cheese,... the whole thing curdled. I added more mozzarella in the hope to thicken it but to no avail. Once out of the oven, found it to be rather dry and didn't really have much flavour, considering all the cheese and not even a hint of garlic.Read more
recipe Farmer's Pasta
PAUL Clearfield, UT 04-11-2009
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Great
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The family and friends are very impresed even the grandson who is very picky helps me make this every time. We have this... about five (5) times a year.Read more
recipe Farmer's Pasta
Ginger Kalispell, MT 03-26-2009
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GREAT!!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is the best pasta ever! My family loves this recipie, we actually eat this as a main course because it;s soo filling! ... LOVE IT!Read more
recipe Farmer's Pasta
Gina Valrico, FL 03-26-2009
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Incredible Creamy Pasta!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My cousin told me about this recipe about a year ago and I made it last night to great reviews! The sauce was fabulous;... sublime garlic taste, thick and creamy and the bits of crunchy pancetta made this dish just right! Every single rigatoni noodle had sauce inside! The fresh basil and parsley added flavor too! I only used 1/2 cup bread crumbs for topping, used 2 bags of the Italian 6 Cheese Grated and had everything prepped before cooking which made it easy to prepare and much cheaper to! I will definitly be using this sauce over and over again! I served it alongside Chicken Piccata and Spinach, Almond , Cranberry, Bleu Cheese Salad. The leftovers freeze well and it even tastes good cold. Way to go Giada with this one!!Read more