Ingredients

Ghee, 5 1/2 tablespoons (or melted unsalted butter)

All purpose flour, 1/2 cup, plus extra if needed

Chicken broth, 2 2/3 cups (hot)

Heavy cream, 2 cups

Kosher salt, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/4 teaspoons, and extra for serving

Freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon plus a pinch, and extra for serving

Shallots, 3 medium (halved lengthwise and roughly chopped)

Garlic, 7 whole cloves

Smoked gouda cheese, 1 pound (coarsely grated)

Whole-wheat pasta shells, 1 pound

Panko bread crumbs, 2 cups

Extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon

Preparation

  1. In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine:
  • 5 tablespoons ghee
  • All-purpose flour The mixture should look like wet sand; if it doesn’t add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to stir until the mixture is smooth and thick and starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, 1 to 3 minutes. While whisking, vigorously add in:
  • 1 1/3 cups hot chicken broth Once the chicken broth is incorporated, whisk in the:
  • Heavy cream Simmer the sauce until thickened and reduced slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with:
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper Turn off the heat.
  1. In a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, add the:
  • Remaining 1/2 tablespoon ghee
  • Roughly chopped shallots
  • Garlic cloves Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the remaining:
  • 1 1/3 cups hot chicken broth Simmer the shallot-garlic mixture until the shallots and garlic are soft, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the blended shallot-garlic mixture into the saucepan with the cream mixture. Turn the heat on to medium and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes (if the sauce seems too thick and pasty, thin it with a little water).
  1. Pour half of the hot cream sauce into the blender and blend on low speed while adding half of the:
  • Grated smoked gouda cheese Pass mixture through fine-mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

  1. Cook pasta as directed. Add enough of the cheese mixture to pasta to generously coat. Transfer to 9-inch baking dish. Ladle remaining cheese sauce over the top of the pasta.

  2. In small bowl, mix together:

  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • EVOO
  • Remaining salt and pepper Sprinkle breadcrumbs over pasta and bake at 350 degrees, until breadcrumbs are toasted, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.