Florida Pinks & Macaroni Bake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 cups dried macaroni
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1 cup fennel, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup green onion, sliced
• 1/2 lb cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 cups bechamel sauce
• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 large tomato, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

Recipe

• 1 add salt to a saucepan of water and bring to a boil.
• 2 add the pasta and 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook until tender, but still firm to the bite.
• 3 drain and return to the pan.
• 4 add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pasta. cover and shake the pan, keep warm.
• 5 melt the remaining butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat.
• 6 sauté the fennel for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
• 7 stir in the mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes, add in the shrimp, then remove the pan from the heat.
• 8 stir in the cayenne pepper and béchamel sauce to the shrimp mixture.
• 9 pour macaroni into a greased baking dish and pour shrimp mixture over pasta and stir together.
• 10 sprinkle top with parmesan cheese over the mixture and arrange the tomato slices around the edge.
• 11 brush the tomatoes with remaining olive oil and sprinkle basil over the top.
• 12 bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• 13 béchamel sauce:.
• 14 in a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted.
• 15 add the flour and stir until smooth.
• 16 cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• 17 meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil.
• 18 add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth.
• 19 bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
• 20 season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.