Macaroni and Cheese Pasta al Forno Macaroni-and-cheese is an iconic American dish. This version is just as comforting as the classic, but with an Italian twist, using fontina, provolone, sage, and prosciutto cotto. Prosciutto cotto is Italian “cooked ham,” versus a dry-aged ham, like traditional prosciutto. It’s milder in flavor and often less expensive, making it the perfect addition here where aged prosciutto or another salumi would overwhelm the dish.
Recipe Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta until al dente, adding the peas in the last 5 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving the pot. Combine the milk, cream and sage in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over very low heat while you make the sauce.
Yield Serves 8
Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the panko, Cook and stir until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Set aside and let cool. Stir in the
Ingredients 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish 1 pound cavatappi 1 cup frozen peas 3 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 8 large fresh sage leaves ¼ cup panko ¼ cup grated Grana Padano 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 ounces prosciutto cotto, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped ¼ cup all purpose flour Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 cups grated Italian fontina (about 8 ounces)
grated Grana Padano and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the large pot over medium. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and melt. Add the ham and garlic and cook until the ham is sizzling, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with the flour and stir until smooth. Cook 1 minute to toast the flour, then whisk in the milk mixture until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Over low heat, stir in the fontina, provolone, and cheddar, a handful at a time, until melted. Add the cooked pasta and peas and stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Transfer to the buttered baking dish and top with the panko mixture. Bake until the top is crisp and golden and the edges are bubbly, about 30 minutes.
1 cup grated provolone (about 4 ounces) 1 cup grated white cheddar (about 4 ounces)
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LIDIA'S ITALY AT HOME.indd 98
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