Savory Sweet Potato Rice Pasta Bake

Think of this as a probable healthier version of Macaroni and Cheese.  With the use of less milk, no butter, the addition of sweet potatoes, and rice pasta I was doubting the outcome but it really was tasty. Ok, maybe it's not that much healthier as there is quite of a bit of cheese but you can tell yourself it's healthy, right?!

My starting point was a recipe I found about 5 years ago courtesy of Cooking Light and since I happen to be a big macaroni and cheese fan I thought I'd give it a go.  I originally began adapting this recipe for my mom as she cannot have gluten or cow's milk and I still even now, I find myself making slight changes here and there.  A lot of recipes call for the use of butternut squash in their pasta but I like to use sweet potatoes.  I've also added onion and thyme to add more flavor.  That is what is great about this recipe, you can play with all aspects of this dish.  Try different kinds of cheeses from creamy goat chèvre or goat cheddar to ricotta cheese to cow's milk cheddar to Gruyere and Pecorino Romano.  My favorite typically uses a combination. You can also make it with whole wheat pasta, buckwheat or rice pasta and even quinoa!  The options are endless...so just tailor it to your likes!  

6 Cups Sweet Potato, quartered and cut crosswise [I used a combination of orange and white flesh potatoes but either works just fine on its own]
2 Cups Yellow Onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
1 lb Rice Pasta, Cooked
1/2 Dried Garlic
1 Cup Whole Milk
16 oz Chicken Broth
6 oz Goat Chèvre Cheese
1 Cup Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup Gruyere Cheese
1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Gluten Free Bread Crumbs- I love Aleia's Italian GF Bread Crumbs

1) Begin by cooking the potatoes and onions in a large stockpot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat, stirring every couple minutes.  After about 5-7 minutes add the broth, thyme, garlic, and salt.  Cover and cook on a low boil for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

2) While the potatoes are cooking, make the pasta according to the directions on the package but cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less.  This is because the pasta will absorb the liquid and continue cooking when you bake it in the oven.  Once the pasta is done cooking, add to a lightly oiled 9x13 baking dish. 

3) When the potatoes are tender, add in the 1 cup of milk, remove from heat and stir to incorporate. 

4) Begin mashing up the potato mixture with a masher or a large slotted spoon would work too.  I like to leave some bigger chunks of potato for some added texture but you could also completely puree with an immersion blender or regular blender.

5) Add the potato mixture over the pasta and combine. Add in the goat chèvre in small dollops over the pasta.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheddar and 1/2 cup of the Gruyere cheese.  Combine again so that the cheese gets thoroughly mixed in. Then add the remaining cheddar and Gruyere cheese on top.  Add the Pecorino Romano evenly on top of that, then sprinkle the bread crumbs.  Using a pepper grinder, do several turns across the pasta - maybe about 1/2 teaspoon worth.

6) Bake at 375 for about 30-40 minutes or until cheese gets lightly browned and is slightly bubbling.