Paul's Crafty Mac N Cheese with Pancetta
This recipe crafts a decadent macaroni and cheese featuring ziti pasta, crispy pancetta, and a rich five-cheese blend. It involves cooking the pasta, rendering pancetta, creating a creamy cheese sauce, combining ingredients, and baking until golden and bubbly for a comforting and hearty main course.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot For cooking pasta
- 1 Saute Pan Medium to large, for pancetta and sauce
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Large Baking Dish or Cast Iron Skillet Oven-safe
- 1 Colander For straining pasta
Ingredients
Main
- 1 1/2 pounds ziti pasta
- 1/2 pound pancetta chopped
- 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack plus extra for topping
- 1 1/2 cups grated Asiago plus extra for topping
- 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar plus extra for topping
- 1 1/2 cups grated Provolone plus extra for topping
- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan plus extra for topping
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook ziti until al dente. Strain and rinse in cool water. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, cook pancetta until it is crispy and the fat has rendered. In the same pan, add all of the cheeses and the cream and whisk until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly add the cooked ziti to the cheese mixture, stirring gently. Transfer the ziti and cheese mixture to a large baking dish or cast iron skillet. Top off with more cheese and bake for 24 to 30 minutes.
Notes
While the recipe instructs rinsing the pasta, for macaroni and cheese, it's generally best to skip this step. The pasta's natural starch helps the cheese sauce cling beautifully, creating a richer, more cohesive dish. Ensure your pancetta is truly crispy and well-rendered to maximize flavor; don't rush this step. When combining cheeses with cream, keep the heat low and whisk continuously to prevent the sauce from breaking or becoming oily. A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg can elevate the cheese sauce, adding a layer of warmth and complexity. Avoid overbaking, as this can dry out the pasta; the goal is bubbly cheese and heated through, not further cooking the pasta.