It looks as though mac and cheese is becoming a Sunday tradition for us. Football, mac and cheese, hopefully the Eagles win (last week, not so much...blah)...FTW
I'm ok with anything if it involves mac and cheese...although that loss did stink and stuff.
At any rate, this next recipe comes from the same people who brought you the last epic mac and cheese recipe I made, The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife.
This one is a pancetta and balsamic vinegar deal with three cheeses...yeah. I will yammer on about the flavor later...check out the recipe.
The Ingredients:
5 oz of thinly sliced pancetta
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, separated
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 healthy sized sprig of fresh rosemary
2 1/2 cups of warmed whole milk
1/2 cup of warmed half and half
6 oz shredded gouda cheese
4 oz shredded fontina cheese
2 oz shredded smoke gouda cheese (I used a smoked gouda with bacon because...why not?)
10 oz cavatappi pasta
salt and pepper to taste
Where I Departed:
The grocery store only had 5 oz of pancetta and the recipe called for 6. I used the gouda with bacon to compensate.
I probably used more balsamic than I listed.
I didn't measure the rosemary, as I am lazy, and used a sprig instead.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400. Put water for the pasta on the stove to boil. Slice the pancetta into small strips (the best way to do this is to roll it up and cut it up...easy peasy). Put the pancetta on the stove in a small pan and saute for 2-3 minutes until starts to brown and curl. Then, put in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Remove the pancetta from the heat and place it on a paper towel to drain. In the meanwhile put the pasta in the water (that has been liberally salted) and boil it for one minute less than the package says).
While that cooks, make the cheese sauce:
In a sauce pan that is big enough to add the pasta back into later, melt the butter. When it has melted, over medium heat, whisk in the flour tablespoon by tablespoon. Once it is all added, cook for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is bubbly. Add in the sprig of rosemary and cook another 30 seconds. When the little leaves starts to fall off the stalk, remove the stalk and chuck it. Then, slowly add the milk and half and half. You'll need to whisk constantly to make sure it doesn't get lumpy. Once it is all added, bring the concoction to a simmer whilst stirring constantly.
Meanwhile, the pasta should be done. Drain and set aside.
Then, add the 6 oz of gouda as well as the fontina to the flour mixture, a handful at a time. Once it is all in and melted and the sauce is creamy, add in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Then, stir in the pasta to integrate it. Pour the concoction into an appropriately sized baking dish. Top the mixture with half of the smoked gouda, then the pancetta, then the remainder of the smoked gouda. Put in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes. You will know it is done with the cheese on top bubbles and the pancetta gets crispy.
Remove it from the oven. Let it cool. Eat it. Die of happiness.
I don't know where Mercedes at Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife gets her mac and cheese recipes but OH MY GOD. They are all amazing. And this one was no exception. This recipe was definitely the MVP of the day. I wish I could have some right now.
Try this and read that blog. Wow.
NoM!
~ EK
Up Next: Ethiopian Chicken Legs
I'm ok with anything if it involves mac and cheese...although that loss did stink and stuff.
At any rate, this next recipe comes from the same people who brought you the last epic mac and cheese recipe I made, The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife.
This one is a pancetta and balsamic vinegar deal with three cheeses...yeah. I will yammer on about the flavor later...check out the recipe.
The Ingredients:
5 oz of thinly sliced pancetta
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, separated
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 healthy sized sprig of fresh rosemary
2 1/2 cups of warmed whole milk
1/2 cup of warmed half and half
6 oz shredded gouda cheese
4 oz shredded fontina cheese
2 oz shredded smoke gouda cheese (I used a smoked gouda with bacon because...why not?)
10 oz cavatappi pasta
salt and pepper to taste
Where I Departed:
The grocery store only had 5 oz of pancetta and the recipe called for 6. I used the gouda with bacon to compensate.
I probably used more balsamic than I listed.
I didn't measure the rosemary, as I am lazy, and used a sprig instead.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400. Put water for the pasta on the stove to boil. Slice the pancetta into small strips (the best way to do this is to roll it up and cut it up...easy peasy). Put the pancetta on the stove in a small pan and saute for 2-3 minutes until starts to brown and curl. Then, put in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Remove the pancetta from the heat and place it on a paper towel to drain. In the meanwhile put the pasta in the water (that has been liberally salted) and boil it for one minute less than the package says).
While that cooks, make the cheese sauce:
In a sauce pan that is big enough to add the pasta back into later, melt the butter. When it has melted, over medium heat, whisk in the flour tablespoon by tablespoon. Once it is all added, cook for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is bubbly. Add in the sprig of rosemary and cook another 30 seconds. When the little leaves starts to fall off the stalk, remove the stalk and chuck it. Then, slowly add the milk and half and half. You'll need to whisk constantly to make sure it doesn't get lumpy. Once it is all added, bring the concoction to a simmer whilst stirring constantly.
Meanwhile, the pasta should be done. Drain and set aside.
Then, add the 6 oz of gouda as well as the fontina to the flour mixture, a handful at a time. Once it is all in and melted and the sauce is creamy, add in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Then, stir in the pasta to integrate it. Pour the concoction into an appropriately sized baking dish. Top the mixture with half of the smoked gouda, then the pancetta, then the remainder of the smoked gouda. Put in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes. You will know it is done with the cheese on top bubbles and the pancetta gets crispy.
Remove it from the oven. Let it cool. Eat it. Die of happiness.
I don't know where Mercedes at Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife gets her mac and cheese recipes but OH MY GOD. They are all amazing. And this one was no exception. This recipe was definitely the MVP of the day. I wish I could have some right now.
Try this and read that blog. Wow.
NoM!
~ EK
Up Next: Ethiopian Chicken Legs
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