Grown-Up Mac and Cheese

Grown-Up Mac and Cheese

from goodhousekeeping.com
30 min
2 servings

This macaroni and cheese may be reminiscent in spirit to the scrumptious dish you had as a kid, but the rich, complex flavors will surely please your matured taste buds..

Ingredients

  • 6 oz. mini penne or small shell pasta
  • 1 oz. pancetta
  • olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. reduced-fat (2%) milk
  • 4 oz. fontina cheese
  • 1/4 c. Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 2 tbsp. Pecorino Romano cheese
  • pepper
  • 2 tbsp. panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Directions

  1. 1

    Heat covered 4-quart saucepan of salted water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs.

  2. 2

    Meanwhile, preheat broiler. In 3-quart saucepan, cook pancetta on medium 5 minutes or until browned; with slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain.

  3. 3

    Add enough oil to drippings in pan to equal 1 tablespoon; whisk in flour and cook 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in milk and heat to boiling on medium-high, stirring frequently. Boil 1 minute, stirring. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in Fontina, 1/4 cup Romano, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until cheese melts. In cup, combine remaining Romano with panko.

  4. 4

    Drain pasta well. Stir pasta and pancetta into cheese mixture until evenly coated. Spoon mixture into 4-cup shallow gratin dish or 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with panko mixture.

  5. 5

    Place dish on rack in bottom third of oven and broil 3 to 6 minutes or until browned.