French-ish Mac&Cheese (Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce)

Bechamel Sauce:
1 stick unsalted butter 

Little more than 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 quart mix of skim milk & fat free half and half [or 1 qt. whole milk]

1 cup grated fontina (or Gruyere)  [can use good Swiss if store is out of others] - 1/2 cup for sauce, 1/2 cup for topping

Nutmeg (don't actually measure, just shake some out)

salt and pepper

1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned or 1/2 lb bacon cooked and crumbled

1 lb box of rigatoni

3 -4 tbsp unsalted butter, broken up

Directions

Preheat oven to 425.

Start heating water for pasta.

Bechamel sauce:

In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Keep stirring and add in milk/creamer until smooth. Simmer until it’s thick enough to coat a spoon (10 minutes or so). Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup fontina/gruyere, prosciutto/bacon nutmeg salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

When water for pasta is boiling, add the rigatoni and cook for about 5 minutes – the insides should still be hard. Drain and return to pot. Add béchamel sauce and mix until the pasta is covered.

Grease a 9x13 baking pan and pour in the pasta. Smooth down the top, cover with ½ cup of fontina/gruyere and dot with butter.

Bake 25 minutes – it should be bubbling and golden brown.

Reheat at 400 for 10-15 min.