Smoky Penne and Cheese with Ham and Kale

Directions

Ingredients :

1 pound penne pasta

¼ cup canola oil

divided

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

4 ounces shredded smoked Gouda cheese

4 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese

1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic

crushed

or more to taste

salt and ground black pepper to taste

8 ounces kale

stemmed and coarsely chopped

8 ounces turkey ham

diced

or more to taste

Methods :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×12-inch baking dish.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and return pasta to pot.

Melt 2 tablespoons oil and butter together in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour into hot oil-butter mixture until mixture has a paste-like consistency. Cook, whisking constantly, until flour mixture is light golden, about 5 minutes.

Pour milk into flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, whisking thoroughly until mixture is smooth between additions. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Mix Gouda cheese and Gruyere cheese into milk mixture until completely melted; add Pecorino Romano cheese and stir until melted. Stir 1 tablespoon pepper into cheese mixture. Remove from heat.

Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute garlic, pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper in hot oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale; saute until tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir cheese sauce, kale, and turkey ham into penne; mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.