Ingredients

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 15 ounce ricotta cheese
• 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1.5 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 1 cup whole milk
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, ground
• 0.75 teaspoon sea salt
• 0.25 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
• 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. While waiting for water to boil, separate garlic bulb into cloves and discard the papery skin, leaving individual cloves intact but unpeeled.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic cloves and cook for 8 minutes until fragrant and golden, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove the roasted garlic from heat and set aside to cool slightly, then peel the cloves.
6. Cook the penne pasta in the boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions (aim for al dente plus 2 minutes). Drain in a colander and set aside.
7. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, milk, heavy cream, and eggs until smooth.
8. Add the shredded cheddar, Gruyère, fresh thyme, black pepper, sea salt, and nutmeg to the ricotta mixture. Stir until combined.
9. Fold the roasted garlic cloves and cooked pasta into the cheese mixture until evenly coated.
10. Pour the pasta and cheese mixture into a 9x13 baking pan, spreading it evenly.
11. In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter, stirring until the breadcrumbs are moistened.
12. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the pasta.
13. Bake for 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
14. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.