Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray

1 medium sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

5 tbsp butter

1 lb dried medium shell pasta

1/3 cup all purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

3 cups milk

1 lb Brie cheese, trimmed and chopped (reserve 8 small wedges for topping if desired)

2 six to six and a half oz cans lump crabmeat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed

3 slices firm white bread, torn into large pieces

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. lightly coat eight 14 to 16 oz individual baking dishes with cooking spray; set aside. In large skillet cook onion in butter over medium-low heat about 15 minutes or until tneder and golden brown; stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook pasta in 4 quart Dutch oven according to package directions; drain and return to pan.
  2. Add flour, salt, and pepper to onion in skillet; stir until combined, about 1 minute. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Gradually add chopped cheese; cook over medium-low heat until cheese melts. Stir in pasta. Fold in crab. Transfer to baking dishes.
  3. Place bread pieces in food processor; cover and process to coarse crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over pasta mixture. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through and crumbs are golden brown. If desired, add a wedge of Brie to each dish the last 5 minutes of baking time.