Linguine with Two Cheese Sauce

I found this recipe in Cooking Light, July 2011. For a fast and delicious pasta dish, this was terrific find. The infusion of the basil in the milk sauce added a lot of flavor – I used fresh basil, still warm from the sun.

I served this with a Pinot Grigio and a small Caesar salad. Yum!! The second time I made it, it was equally as good with a nice chardonnay.

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.
2. While pasta cooks, combine milk, 2 teaspoons basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl; stir milk mixture with a whisk.
3. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat.
4. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.
5. Add flour to pan, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Add milk mixture; cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.
7. Remove from heat, and add 1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano and mascarpone cheese to milk mixture.
8. Add cheese mixture to pasta; toss to combine.
9. Sprinkle with remaining 4 teaspoons basil and remaining 1/2 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Yield:
4 servings (serving size: 1 cup pasta mixture and 1 teaspoon basil)

Nutritional Information:

Calories 376
Fat 13.7 g
Satfat 6.2 g
Monofat 3.8 g
Polyfat 0.6 g
Protein 16.2 g
Carbohydrate 47.4 g
Fiber 1.9 g
Cholesterol 29 mg
Iron 2.1 mg
Sodium 547 mg
Calcium 258 mg