Mac-and-cheese-italian-cook-laura-vitale

Mac-and-cheese-italian-cook-laura-vitale

Ingredients

Servings Serves 4

  • ½ lb of Corkscrew Pasta (or any shape of pasta you like), cooked according to package directions and drained
  • 4 Tbsp of Unsalted Butter
  • 4 Tbsp of Flour
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 cups of Whole Milk, warmed in either a microwave or in a small pan
  • 1 cup of Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated
  • 1 cup of Mozzarella, grated
  • ½ cup of Parmiggiano Reggiano, grated
  • ¼ cup of Bread Crumbs
  • 4 Oz of Pancetta, cut into small dice
  • 1 tsp of Olive oil

Preparation

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2.  Sautee the pancetta with the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium high heat until the pancetta is crispy around the edges, drain with a slotted spoon onto a small plate and set aside.
  3.  In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir it together and cook it for about a minute.
  4.  While constantly stirring, slowly add the milk and cook it for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the milk turns into a custard consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and take off the heat. Add all of the grated cheddar, mozzarella and half of the parmiggiano, stir until all of the cheeses have melted, add in the cooked and drained pasta and mix together until everything is well combined.
  5.  Put the mac and cheese into a casserole dish and sprinkle the bread crumbs and the remaining parmiggiano evenly over the top, drizzle a touch more of olive oil over the top and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.