White Cheddar and Pancetta Stovetop Mac and Cheese

White Cheddar and Pancetta Stovetop Mac and Cheese

• 8 oz pancetta (diced)
• 1 tbsp pancetta fat
• 3 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp flour
• 4 cups whole milk (warmed)
• 1 lb pasta of choice (I love shellbows! It's a hybrid shell and elbow)
• 12 oz aged sharp cheddar
• 7 oz white American cheese
• 8 oz whole milk mozzarella (optional)
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp black pepper Kosher salt (to taste)

1. Cook the pancetta. Add the pancetta to a large, cold saute pan and turn the heat to medium low. Cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered out and the pancetta is golden brown and crispy. Transfer the pancetta to a paper towel-lined bowl, then reserve all of the pancetta fat in a separate small bowl.
2. Make the roux/bechamel. Add one tbsp of pancetta fat back to the pan along with the butter and melt. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until no lumps remain. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 2-3 more minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. This is the roux. Now, to make it a béchamel, slowly add the warmed milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. If you add the milk slowly enough the mixture will thicken quickly, especially if using warmed milk.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then liberally salt (you want it to taste well seasoned, like soup) and add your pasta. With a few minutes left of cooking, reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water, then strain the pasta once it's just reached al dente. While you're cooking the pasta, finish the sauce.
4. Make it a cheese sauce. First, turn the heat off on your pan. If you have a meat or candy thermometer, check the temperature of the liquid to make sure it isn't too hot before adding the cheese -- you're looking for around 150°F to be able to melt the cheese while preventing it from splitting. If you don't have a food thermometer, make sure the béchamel isn't bubbling whatsoever and is steaming gently. Add the cheese in stages, stirring to melt between each addition, until all the cheese is added/melted, and the sauce is smooth. Add the pancetta back to the sauce and stir to combine.
5. Add your seasonings. Add the nutmeg, cayenne and black pepper, then taste and see how much salt you'd like to add. We haven't added any so far -- this is because cheese is pretty salty -- but now that the cheese (and pancetta) are all added back, you can add a little more salt if you want to (I add a little, around a tsp or so).
6. Add the pasta. Stir in your drained al dente pasta and do a consistency check. If the sauce is exactly how you want it, no need to add any pasta water. If you'd like the sauce a bit thinner, add a little at a time until it's the consistency you like.
7. Devour!

• I had high hopes for the mozzarella in this recipe. I mean, did you see that cheese pull?! Sadly, the cheese pull didn't last once everything else is added to the pot. Since mozzarella doesn't contribute much in the flavor department, you can leave it out to lighten this up a bit (LOL).
• Even if you don't use your pasta water right away, save it in case it tightens up before you get a change to eat, or for leftovers!
• Serving Note: This recipe is quite rich and filling. It yields about 6 large, generous portions, but you can easily stretch it to 8 servings for more moderate portions.

Micronutrient Heroes

Calcium, Vitamin B12, Phosphorous

Main Course, Side DishAmerican