I've had plenty of different types of mac and cheese in my life whether it be creamy, cheesy, stringy, sharp, mushy, salty, or spicy. Every mac and cheese has its merits and in my wife's words, "you never turn down any mac n cheese." I thought I'd like a REAL Italian mac and cheese with all of the Italian cheese I knew.
I looked up a lot of mac and cheese recipes over the last few weeks to see what people do. One thing that always bothered me about other people's "Italian" mac and cheese was that it always included cheddar. I love cheddar. I just didn't feel like it had a place in my REAL Italian mac and cheese.
So, I picked 4 Italian kinds of cheese to start this mac and cheese journey.
- Provolone
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Fontina
I felt these would be the best. I also considered asiago, but because there are so many different types of asiago I decided to stay away from it out of risk of having to make several different attempts at this macaroni and cheese.
Ingredients you will need
- ½ lb macaroni
- 1 cup mozzarella
- ½ cup provolone
- ½ cup parmesan
- 1 cup fontina
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Let's talk cheese.
Mozzarella was a no brainer. You have to have mozzarella in mac and cheese. It is what gives you the cheese pull. Mozzarella is created using a process called pasta filata in which rennet is used to break down the casein proteins and create cheese curds. The pasta filata is the process of placing the cheese curds into hot salty water which unravels the protein chain and creates the "cheese pull." The curd is then stretched and compressed to create what we know as mozzarella.
I wanted a really stinky cheese. So, I picked provolone. I made this recipe around 5 in the morning and the look on my wife's face when she walked down the stairs as she was getting ready for work told me that I had succeeded.
Fontina is low-key one of my favorite kinds of cheese. It's so creamy and mushroomy and is a great cheese for melting. A great Italian cheese to add to this conglomerate of cheese.
Parmesan is the final cheese and although I used domestic parmesan, it still adds an extra salty flavor to the mac and it is one of my favorites. Plenty of cheese snobs will tell you how bad American parmesan is. But my number one rule is, "there is no such thing as bad cheese." Quote me on that.
How to make REAL Italian Mac and Cheese
My favorite part of this mac and cheese is the little bits of crunchy fried pancetta. Besides the 4 Italian kinds of cheese, the pancetta is what fills your mouth with that burst of savory flavor.
Fry the pancetta
Chop the pancetta into ¼-inch small squares. Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Add the pancetta and fry until golden brown, about six minutes. Then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain the grease and set aside.
In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling add salt and boil the pasta to al dente. Strain the pasta and set aside.
Making the Roux
Bring a pan to medium heat and add butter. Melt butter and stir until the foaming stops. Once the foam dissipates, you can sprinkle in the flour while stirring. Stir until the flour is completely incorporated.
Then pour in one cup of milk and whisk well. You may see some little pieces of the roux. Bring to a low simmer before adding the cheese. The roux will make the cheese mixture nice and thick. I always use whole milk to make the cheese extra creamy.
Mix in the Cheese
Stir in all four kinds of cheese slowly until they are completely melted. Then add the pancetta and the parsley and mix until it's completely mixed in with the cheese.
I like to make sure my pasta finishes boiling after my cheese is nice and melty and ready for the pasta. It is best for the pasta to be nice and hot when you mix it in with the cheese.
Pour the pasta in and stir it well. Taste testing at this point is not only suggested, but it is necessary. I taste-test multiple times just to be sure. "Sure of what?" you ask. Well, I don't know, but it is a necessary step.
Baking the Mac and Cheese
If you already have the mac and cheese in an oven-safe pan, you could just top it with seasoned breadcrumbs and extra parmesan and throw it right in the oven at 350° for 10 minutes.
I like to remove it and put it in a pyrex. It's easier to travel with if I'm making it to take to a party. Then I top it with the seasoned breadcrumbs and bake for 10 minutes. I broil it for an extra 3 minutes or so at the end to brown the top.
Broiling the mac and cheese gives it a nice crispy top with a creamy inside. It's the perfect cheesy, Italian, robust mac and cheese out there. This is the real deal with a combination of decadent and nutty flavors that will not disappoint.
Give this mac and cheese a try for your next party and your guests will not be disappointed.
If you loved this mac and cheese and you're looking for more comfort food, you may want to try some of these!
Leave a review or comment below! And follow us @vindelgiudice on Instagram or @alwaysfromscratch on TikTok.
📖 Recipe
REAL Italian Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ lb macaroni
- 1 cup mozzarella
- ½ cup provolone
- ½ cup parmesan
- 1 cup fontina
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Heat a large sauce pan to medium-high heat. Fry chopped pancetta until golden brown and crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. Remove the oil from the pan.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and boil pasta until al dente. Strain and set aside. Preferably do this while you are making cheese mixture so that the pasta will stay hot.
- Bring a pan to medium heat and add butter. Melt butter and stir until the foaming stops. Once the foaming stops, sprinkle in the flour while stirring. Stir until the flour is completely incorporated. Pour in one cup of milk and whisk well. Bring to a low simmer. Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Add all of the cheese in slowly stirring with the milk until completely melted. It will be very stringy. Stir in pancetta and parsley. Then add in macaroni and mix well.
- If you are using an oven safe pan, top the pasta with seasoned bread crumb and place in the oven for 5 minutes, and then broil for 2 minutes. If you are not using an oven safe pan, transfer to a Pyrex dish and top with bread crumbs and transfer to the oven. Served fresh is the best!
Comments
No Comments