Italian Comfort Mac N Cheese

I've mentioned before, I'm part Italian. What draws me to Italian cooking is the ease at which you can have an incredible meal using very few ingredients. Italian cooking is about simplicity. It's about using what's fresh, what's available, and most importantly, good quality. Again, as with many of my recipes, this was one I learned and stripped down to its most basic elements.

The recipes is 4 ingredients: Fennel, cherry tomatoes, mascarpone cheese, & parmesan cheese. (garlic is optional) From the time you walk in the door, dinner should be on the table in 20 minutes.

Fennel, Tomato, Mascarapone Sauce

2 Fennel bulbs

2 cups of cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

8 oz. of mascarpone cheese

Parmesan cheese

Cut the tops off the bulbs and rinse. Afterwards, cut in half and slice. Saute the fennel in a little olive oil (remember to add salt and pepper). Do this for 8-10 minutes or so on medium heat. Once the fennel becomes translucent, add in 2 cloves of sliced garlic and 2 cups of cherry tomatoes. Cook both the fennel and tomatoes for another 5 minutes or so until the tomatoes soften up. Once this happens, take a flat spatula and flatten the tomatoes.

Next up, add in about 8 ounces of mascarpone cheese. Mix it all together. Add in the parmesan cheese. Quick tip here: The sauce may be a bit thick, so add in about 1/3 cup of cooked pasta water to the sauce to thin it out a bit. Add it a little at a time and eye it. You'll know what's good) Serve this over penne or your favorite pasta. It made a great topping over chicken breast.

Quick tips/thoughts

• Add in some fresh basil for a bit more depth of flavor.
• Great substitute for the same old Mac n Cheese! - Use elbow macaroni for the kids.