Heirloom Tomato Mac

Does dinner ever just happen? Like you walk into the kitchen with nothing particular in mind, open the fridge, look around, then it just kind of comes to you? Not often. Usually I try to plan in advance. But every now & then, blam! Dinner! Done! With friends on their way over for a movie night double feature & not much in the fridge, this suped-up mac 'n' cheese, luckily, just kind of happened. And I'm glad it did. It was incredibly yummy, simple to make & a serious crowd pleaser (who doesn't like home-made macaroni?!).

Heirloom Tomato Mac, for four to six

1/2 lb. whole wheat penne pasta
1/2 c. grated aged firm goat cheese
1/4 c. grated munster cheese
1/4 c. grated mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. flour
2 c. milk
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 c. heirloom tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1 tsp. pimenton
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F & bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil, add the onions & garlic then salt them to taste. Saute the until soft & translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes & saute a moment longer (about 5 more minutes).

Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta until al dente (about 8 minutes). While the pasta is boiling, sprinkle the flour over the tomato/onion mixture. Stir until it beings to get "chunky." Slowly add in the milk, stirring to incorporate. Once combined, add the cheeses.

Drain the pasta & return it to the pot. Add the tomato/cheese mixture & fold to combine. Add the mixture to a buttered baking dish then sprinkle with bread crumbs, parsley & pimenton. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 35 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown.

Kitchen to table time: about 45 minutes