Italian Mini Meatloaves with Mac n Cheese

Italian Mini Meat Loaves with Mac and Three Cheeses

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Ingredients

* 1 1/3 pounds ground sirloin
* 1 large egg, beaten
* 2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
* 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano, plus 1/2 cup
* 1/2 small green bell pepper, chopped
* 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 3 tablespoons tomato paste
* Salt and pepper
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 pound corkscrew shaped pasta with lines (cavatappi) or small shell pasta
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 2 cups milk
* 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
* 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
* 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
* 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
* 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves
* 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Put a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place meat in a bowl. Make a well in meat. Fill well with egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup cheese, peppers, onions, garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Mix meat and breading and form 4 individual oval meat loaves, 1-inch thick. Coat loaves with extra-virgin olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast 18 to 20 minutes.

When the pasta water boils, salt water and add pasta. Cook until slightly undercooked – pasta will continue to cook when combined with cheese sauce.

Melt butter in a saucepan and add flour. Whisk in milk. Bring to a bubble. Thicken milk, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheeses: Cheddar, asiago, 1/2 cup Parmesan and black pepper. Stir to melt cheeses. Drain pasta and combine with melted cheese sauce and transfer to a baking dish or casserole. Place bread crumbs in a bowl and add extra-virgin olive oil and herbs to bread crumbs. Top pasta with bread crumbs. Place under a broiler and brown bread crumbs. Serve cheese and pasta alongside meat loaf.