-Whitney Barton
Macaroni and cheese is one of those universally revered foods that’s satisfying even when it comes from a box. With more than a pound of cheese, and about as much cured pork, this recipe is not for the faint of heart (or the lactose intolerant, or the calorie conscious). Like many of my favorite foods, this personal creation was inspired by a Barefoot Contessa recipe. One of the things I love about it most is that you can prepare it in advance, refrigerate it, then put it a 375* oven for a half hour or so, and dinner is served.
You will need:
- 12 -16 oz. pancetta This is essentially Italian bacon – cured pork belly. I love it. It’s thin, crispy and full of flavor, but regular bacon will work too. Most grocers have it near the refrigerated salami; if not ask the butcher.
- 1/3 cup julienned fresh basil “Julienned” basically means cut into long, thin match-like strips
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi I prefer cavatappi, which is a long, hollow corkscrew shaped pasta. The noodles take on the creamy sauce very well.
- 1 quart milk I use whole or 2%
- 8 tablespoons or 1 stick of butter Recipes most often call for unsalted butter, but I don’t believe in that. It’s a personal thing, but I love salt and can’t see why anyone would remove this delicious flavor from butter. It’s up to you, but I say always go salted.
- 4 -5 cloves of minced garlic
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
- 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
- If you like spice: ½ or more teaspoon cayenne pepper
Getting Started:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook pancetta on a skillet or in a large pan on medium heat until browned. Allow to rest on a plate lined with paper towels.
Remove crusts and crumble white bread into breadcrumbs, about five slices. I use about half a loaf of Italian bread, and crumble it with my fingers.
Drizzle olive oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it.
Melt 8 tablespoons of butter in a large pot (about 4 quarts), add the minced garlic and sauté for 5-7 minutes on low heat.
On medium-low heat, add the flour and stir with a whisk for 2 minutes. Add the hot milk while continuing to whisk and cook for a couple more minutes, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, salt, pepper, nutmeg cayenne (optional) and basil.
Crumble pancetta to desired size and stir into mixture. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
Slice tomatoes to desired size and place over the top of mac & cheese, then sprinkle bread crumbs on top. (For some added flavor, I also sprinkled freshly chopped chives and paprika). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Bon appétit!
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