Of all the dishes that were popular in the 1970s, Pasta Primavera was at the top of the list. Grandma Clara would order it every single time, especially when she would go to her favorite local restaurant, Bellissimo.

Recently, as I was thumbing through her recipe box, I found a few versions of Pasta Primavera to make at home. I didn’t want to replicate Pasta Primavera as it once was, I tried to think about how I would do it this year when we need extra comfort and joy. Mac ‘n cheese seemed to be the obvious way.

While the photo here shows a lot of vegetables, trust me, there’s a whole lotta creamy, cheesiness in this Mac ‘n Cheese Pasta Primavera. There’s a great mix of sugar snaps, yummy butternut squash, sweet red bell peppers, peas and more. I double up on the veg, putting half in the dish and then finishing with half on top. The pasta is swirled together with a satisfying white cheddar béchamel laced with gruyere and freshly grated parmesan. There are buttered bread crumbs to crust on top, too. Serve with more freshly grated parmesan.

SERVING SIZE: 6-8 PREP TIME: 10 mins COOKING TIME: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cavatappi pasta (corkscrew) or any other small pasta, such as macaroni, shells, or penne

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 1/2 cups white or brown mushrooms, sliced

• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/4” dice

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, cut into 1” pieces on the bias

• 2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons salted butter

• 2-3 tablespoons flour

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 teaspoon salt + more to taste

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 12 ounces white or yellow cheddar cheese, shredded

• 4 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded

• 4 ounces grated Parmesan + more for serving

• 3 tablespoons bread crumbs

• 1 1/2 tablespoons salted butter

Directions

1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large stock pot. Stir in the 2 teaspoons of salt and the pasta. Cook just slightly undercooked, usually 8-10 minutes, but depending on the type of pasta you are using. Remove two cups of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta thoroughly, stirring it in the colander to remove excess water and also to help it cool a little bit.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

3. Heat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil, allowing it to shimmer, 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they soften and brown slightly, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then the squash. Using a spatula, press the squash down into the oil and allow it to brown for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, pepper, and green onion and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until the peppers become soft. Stir occasionally. Add the peas and stir into the vegetable mixture. Take off the heat.

5. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the mushrooms. Set aside.

6. Using the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat, then stir in the flour. Allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture just starts to become golden. Slowly whisk in the milk, salt, pepper, dry mustard and nutmeg. Cook slowly over medium-low heat about 5-8 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Whisk in the cheddar, gruyere and Parmesan. Add more salt to taste.

7. Slowly add half of the vegetables and all of pasta to the skillet. Cover the remaining vegetables to keep warm. Stir to combine well. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen, if needed.

8. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the Mac ‘n Cheese. Dot the top with the remaining butter. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

9. Spoon the rest of the vegetables on top. Sprinkle with more freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

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