Secret Fusion Recipes version of Macaroni Grill Penne Rustica

Secret Fusion Penne Rustica

My husband and I have been going to this restaurant ever since we were married. Their most popular dish the 'Penne Rustica' is what kept us coming back, until I finally learned how to make it myself. This pasta dish consists of barbeque grilled shrimp and chicken with smoked prosciutto immersed in a creamy cheese sauce. You can use regular prosciutto cut 1/8 inch thick or turkey bacon which is lower in fat. This dish is best served piping hot straight out of the oven with the top baked to a lovely brown crispness that is almost crunchy.



Dish ingredients

• 1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked
  
• 1 dozen fresh medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  
• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets
  
• 1/2 cup thick sliced prosciutto or turkey bacon, chopped
  

Creamy Cheese Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons grape juice
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Topping

• 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

Garnish

• 1 dozen or so sliced pimentos
• 1 couple of rosemary sprigs

What to do

1. Heat barbeque grill to high
2. Prepare creamy cheese sauce by melting3 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Add garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Be sure not to over cook and over brown the garlic by continually mixing. Add the grape juice and vinegar(to lessen the sweetness of the grape juice). Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce and mix well until smooth.  Bring mixture to a simmer and keep it there for up 10 minutes or until thick. Cover and remove from heat.
3. Cook penne pasta following directions on package. You want the pasta cooked, but not too mushy(al dente). Drain pasta and set aside for later.
4. Using a tenderizer or mallet, pound your chicken breasts until they are uniformly thick. Rub chicken with olive oil and a bit of salt a pepper. Add shrimp on skewers and rub them with oil, salt, and pepper
5. Grill chicken about 5 minutes per side. Grill shrimp about 2 minutes per side. Slice cooked chicken into strips.
6. Now for the grand finale. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.  In a large shallow baking dish or a 13x9-inch glass baking dish, add 3 cups of pasta, 1/3 of the chicken, a few shrimp, and 2 tablespoons of the prosciutto. Pour 3/4  cup of creamy cheese sauce and toss to coat. Mix 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese with 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of this mixture over the top. Repeat this using another baking dish until all the pasta, chicken, and shrimp are used up. Bake the dishes for 10- 12 minutes, or until tops begin to brown. Arrange pimentos on top and stick a sprig of rosemary in center and serve.