Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

I can't always find frozen artichoke hearts, so I used canned. Yummy!

Salt

1 pound regular or whole wheat penne

2 TB extra virgin olive oil

3 TB butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

3 TB flour

1/2 cup white wine (optional)

2 cups milk

1 box frozen chopped spinach (10 oz), defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel

1 box frozen chopped artichokes (10 oz), defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel

Ground pepper

1 1/4 cups shredded fontina cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

1 1/4 cups Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350.

Place a large pot of water over high heat to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, salt it well and drop in the pasta. Cook to al dente, according to package directions. Drain the pasta and reserve.

While the pasta is cooking, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with about 2 tablespoons of EVOO and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, then whisk the wine into the pan, cooking for another minute to burn off the alcohol. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the veggies and salt and pepper to the sauce and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.

Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle some more of the fontina and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses over the top and bake until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Recipe Source: www.rachaelray.com