Italian Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is a true American classic, and I’m not just talking about the stuff from the blue box that has the powdered cheese packets. Tender pasta, creamy cheese sauce, and maybe a bit of breadcrumb topping, if you’re extra lucky.
As much as I love a classic mac and cheese, sometimes I just can’t help but desire something…more, so today I have decided to put an Italian twist on this Southern American classic and see if I come up with something good.
It makes sense, doesn’t it? Italians have pasta for muscles, and we already have a dish that features pasta in a creamy, cheesy sauce, that being the beloved fettuccine alfredo, but I wanted to see if I can do it differently enough that it still brings that homey, comforting hug of mac and cheese with some Italian flavors.
Here’s my breakdown of how I will get this done.
The Pasta
Classic macaroni and cheese recipes use elbow macaroni pasta, its curved shape, and ridges allow the cheesy sauce to grab onto the pasta and essentially use it like an elevator as you dig your fork in to lift that cheese into your mouth.
However, I wanted to make this different, so I’ll be using some mini farfalle.
I love the cute bowtie shape of the farfalle and I think that shape is just as ideal as the elbows because it also has lots of ridges to pick up that cheese sauce.
Pro tip: when making mac and cheese, it’s best to slightly undercook your pasta because that hot, cheesy sauce you’re going to mix the pasta with will cook it a bit more.
The Sauce
Classic mac and cheese use a bechamel sauce (made with butter, flour, and milk) to melt the cheese nicely and give extra creaminess to the final dish.
To give this that Italian twist, I’ll be using olive oil instead of butter for depth of flavor and I’ll also be adding a bit of basil pesto (homemade, of course) to the sauce for some color and a slight herbal-garlicky flavor.
Cheese
Literally the other half of this dish. It’s like jelly to peanut butter, chocolate to strawberries, butter to bread, gravy to Thanksgiving turkey. Both of these are good on their own, but when combined they create a match made in heaven.
The bulk of cheese for my mac and cheese will be some nice Gruyere, now which is a French cheese but it has a really good flavor, melts nicely, and happens to be one of my favorite cheeses in the world.
Mix-ins
Believe it or not, you don’t just need mac and cheese to create mac and cheese. There are a lot of things that you can mix in to give your Mac a personal touch such as bacon, chicken, caramelized onions, and even barbecue burnt ends.
Today, I’ll be using some lovely pancetta for saltiness and a crispy bite as well as some chives that I’ll lightly fry in some rendered pancetta fat for extra flavor.
Topping
While there is nothing wrong with a classic creamy stovetop mac and cheese, what can really take it over the top is a crispy breadcrumb topping.
In this case, I’ll be mixing some breadcrumbs with parmesan cheese, because you can’t have too much cheese in mac and cheese, and a bit of olive oil to help those crumbs get extra crispy.
I am so excited to see how this all comes together, so let’s do it!
Italian Mac and Cheese
Servings: 4-6
Salt
1/2 pound of mini farfalle pasta (or any small pasta that you have)
4 ounces of cubed pancetta
1/4 cup of chives, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons of flour
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
4 ounces of grated Gruyere cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package until almost al-dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, then set aside.
Step 2: While the pasta cooks, cook the pancetta in a small skillet over medium-low heat until rendered and slightly crisp. Add the chives, and cook for another 30 seconds, or until the chives are lightly browned.
Use a slotted spoon to remove to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Add the flour and cook for about a minute to remove any raw flour taste, but do not let the flour brown.
Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly as to avoid lumps, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken.
Add the pesto and grated cheese, then whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir the cooked pasta and reserved pancetta into the sauce until fully combined, then dump into a greased baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and a few grinds of pepper, then sprinkle that on top of the mac and cheese.
Transfer the whole dish into the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are brown and crisp. If you want an extra-crispy topping, then switch on the broiler and let it broil for 2-3 minutes.
Let it cool for at least 5 minutes before serving!
Without question, the best macaroni and cheese I have ever made!
First, you have that golden, crunchy breadcrumb topping that has a hint of spice from the black pepper and provides a bit of a crispy texture, then you have the pasta which is beautifully hugged by the cheesy sauce that is packed with the goodness of the pesto, and finally, you get those little salty bits of the pancetta.
I can definitely see myself making this Italian mac and cheese again, and I hope you give it a shot yourself.
