Ham and Cheese Ziti

Ingredients

package (16 oz) ziti pasta (5 cups)

1/2

cup butter or margarine

cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2

cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

teaspoon salt

cups milk

teaspoon Dijon mustard

cups shredded Colby cheese (16 oz)

oz sliced cooked deli ham, cut into thin strips

2/3

cup grated Parmesan cheese

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1

Heat oven to 350°F. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
2

Meanwhile, melt butter in 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat. Cook garlic in butter 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Stir in flour and salt, using wire whisk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
3

Gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in mustard and Colby cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Stir pasta and ham into cheese sauce. Pour pasta mixture into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4

Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

To prevent lumps in the cheese sauce, use a wire whisk to stir in the flour and milk.
Ziti is a pasta that looks a little bit like its cousin, macaroni. Ziti is thicker and longer than macaroni and is more tube-shaped. It's a perfect pasta for chunky sauces, meat dishes and baked casseroles.