ArcaMax

Once a year on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, it can seem as if the whole world has turned Irish. And I see most of the evidence, not surprisingly, in the world of food.

Many people eat corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. Bars, whether they're Irish themed or not, add food coloring to their beer to turn it green. And I've seen so many different dishes that get a similar touch of blarney, from green pizza dough (colored and flavored with dried spinach powder, of course) to green-tinted cookies and cupcakes with emerald-green frosting.

As someone who named his own first restaurant Spago, Italian slang for spaghetti, I like to turn my pasta green -- and not just on March 17. On another occasion, I've shared with you one of my favorite recipes for pesto, one of my favorite green pasta sauces, a blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil, as brightly colored as it is fragrant and flavorful. I also love to color and flavor fresh pasta dough with spinach and serve it with sauces of meat and tomatoes or cream and cheese. Delicious.

For this coming St. Patrick's Day, however, I'd like to offer you a different way to make a very special green pasta dish. It's a little bit Italian, because it features macaroni and Parmesan cheese; a little bit Gallic, because it's baked as a gratin (French for "crust," referring to its golden topping of melted cheese); and, of course, a little bit Irish, thanks to its bright color.

The secret to the vibrant flavor and appearance of this dish is a whole bunch of fresh basil leaves, which you'll cut into thin julienne strips and steep in a simple cream sauce. Then you toss the sauce with macaroni cooked al dente, tender but still chewy because it will cook a bit longer in the oven; top it with cheese; and baked it until crusty and golden.

For such a simple recipe, its versatility will delight you. You can serve it as an appetizer or as a side dish for roast meat, poultry, or seafood. In place of the macaroni, you can substitute penne or any other pasta shape you like, just as long as you don't overcook it. For a light luncheon, accompany it with a tossed green salad and a crusty loaf of bread. Or buy some good quality precooked ham or, better still for the coming occasion, corned beef, dice the meat, toss it with the pasta and sauce, top with the cheese and -- voila (or should I say "begorrah"?) -- you've got a perfect main course for St. Paddy's Day.

MACARONI GRATIN WITH FRESH BASIL

Serves 4 or 5

1 quart heavy cream

1 bunch fresh basil

8 ounces dried macaroni

1 tablespoon mild-flavored vegetable oil, such as safflower oil

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a boil; reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and continue simmering until the cream has reduced by half, to 2 cups, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, separate the basil leaves from their stems, discarding the stems. Rinse the leaves thoroughly with cold running water and dry them completely with paper towels. To cut them into julienne strips, neatly stack several leaves, roll them up into a cigar shape, and cut across the roll in thin slices with a small, sharp knife. Repeat with the remaining leaves and set aside.

When the cream has reduced, stir in the julienne of basil and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cream is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Pour in the macaroni and add the oil. Boil until the macaroni is al dente, tender but still chewy, about 10 minutes or following the manufacturer's suggested cooking time. Drain.

Preheat the broiler. Butter a shallow ovenproof serving dish.

Add the drained macaroni to the pan of basil cream. Stir thoroughly, until the macaroni is evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Pour the mixture into the prepared serving dish.

In a small mixing bowl, toss together the Parmesan and Swiss cheeses. Sprinkle them evenly over the macaroni. Place the dish under the broiler and broil just a few minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese has melted and the top is lightly browned. Serve immediately.

(Chef Wolfgang Puck's TV series, "Wolfgang Puck's Cooking Class," airs Sundays on the Food Network. Also, his latest cookbook, "Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy," is now available in bookstores. Write Wolfgang Puck in care of Tribune Media Services Inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, N.Y. 14207.)