Recipe

Baked Rigatoni with Fontina and Celery Root Puree

Baked Rigatoni with Fontina and Celery Root Puree

Photo by Kukla

  • This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Root Vegetable Side
  • Chef

    Kukla's Notes: Here is my way to snick in a healthy vegetable to everybody’s favorite rich comfort food dish. Simmering in milk brings the very best out of celery root, giving this silky puree a flavor that...

    Expand

Serves 4 to 6

• 8 oz dry Rigatoni pasta Ask a question about this ingredient

• 4 cups whole milk, divided Ask a question about this ingredient

• 2 cups water Ask a question about this ingredient

• coarse salt Ask a question about this ingredient

• 1 large celery root (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes Ask a question about this ingredient

• 1 small onion or 2 shallots, diced Ask a question about this ingredient

• 6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces Ask a question about this ingredient

• 2 tablespoons flour Ask a question about this ingredient

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Ask a question about this ingredient

• Ground white pepper Ask a question about this ingredient

• 1 teaspoon Herb de Provence Ask a question about this ingredient

• 1 1/2 cups Italian Fontina Cheese, shredded on the large side of grater Ask a question about this ingredient

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese Ask a question about this ingredient

• 2 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs Ask a question about this ingredient

  1. Bring 2 cups milk, water and salt just to boil in heavy saucepan over high heat. Add celery root cubes; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, discard cooking liquid.

    Ask a question about this step
  2. Combine celery root and 2 tablespoons butter in a food processor; puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Transfer puree to bowl, grate the nutmeg over it and mix in. Set aside.

    Ask a question about this step
  3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pan, add Herb de Provence, sauté for 2 minutes and then add diced onion.

    Ask a question about this step
  4. Sauté until softened and just start to brown; sift the flour directly over the butter; stir to make a smooth paste and cook out the raw flour taste (about 3 minutes). Slowly add remaining 2 cups milk.

    Ask a question about this step
  5. Simmer on a low heat stirring or whisking all the time until sauce thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove sauce from the stove, add the Fontina cheese.

    Ask a question about this step
  6. Add the pureed celery root; stir quickly and well. Keep warm.

    Ask a question about this step
  7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. F. Butter a casserole or glass baking dish. Cook Rigatoni al dente, in a large pot with boiling, salted water.

    Ask a question about this step
  8. Drain and immediately add to the cheese and celery root mixture. Mix well and then pour into prepared baking dish. Spread evenly, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Panko bread crumbs.

    Ask a question about this step
  9. Dot with pieces of the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. (At this point, you might cool the whole dish, then chill it and bake it later or even freeze up to 3-4 days).

    Ask a question about this step
  10. When ready to bake; place on the middle rack of the oven; bake for about 45minutes until bubbly and the top is golden brown. Serve hot.

    Ask a question about this step

5 Comments on Baked Rigatoni with Fontina and Celery Root Puree

Junepr05 Reply

OMG! so glad there was a question about this recipe in Hotline! I had missed it before. I love the idea of celery root in this.

Copy_of_me Reply

Love this combination of flavors, Kukla! I usually use rigatoni (or penne) for my mac & cheese, just know I would love the celery root...yum :) saved.

Img_0001 Reply

Thank you so much lapadia! Love all of your comments.

Dsc_0382 Reply

Love this! I love pureed celery root and what a great use for it.

Img_0001 Reply

Thank you healthierkitchen! It is very tasty especially when cooked in milk.

Meet our Hotliners:

Family Meal