Four Cheese Mac and Cheese with Pancetta

This Four Cheese Mac and Cheese with Pancetta is a delicious adult version of the childhood classic!

Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? Creamy, hearty, and decadent, this dish is a favourite for a reason. As a teen my introduction to mac and cheese was the dried boxed stuff that barely resembles dairy. As an adult, I tried gourmet style mac and cheese at restaurants and was excited by the idea of a better version of the childhood classic. I set about trying to make the best adult mac and cheese I could, and I believe that this Four Cheese Mac and Cheese Pancetta is just that! I’ve made it for friends and family and this delicious dish is always a hit.

I decided to make my version of mac and cheese even more decadent with the addition of gourmet cheeses and pancetta. The creamy nutty Gruyere is beautifully complimented by the sharpness of the Pecorino and depth of the Aged Cheddar. This gooey cheesy pasta is punctuated by garlic, crisp pieces of pancetta, and topped with delicious Parmesan that all add further layers of flavour to this beautiful dish. I am sure that once you try this recipe, you’ll never think of mac and cheese the same way again.

TOTAL TIME

• Preparation Time – 10 minutes
• Cooking Time – 50 minutes
• Total Time – 1 hour

INGREDIENTS FOR FOUR CHEESE MAC AND CHEESE WITH PANCETTA

All the ingredients for this Four Cheese Mac and Cheese are easy to source from any local grocer.

• 3 Large cloves garlic
• 1 Large shallot
• 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 150 grams Pancetta
• 2 cups Gruyere, grated
• 3 cups Aged Cheddar, grated
• 1 cup Pecorino Romano, grated
• 1 pinch Chili powder
• 2 tbsp Unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp All purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups Milk
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1 box Cornetti (~500g)

CAN I MAKE THIS VEGETARIAN?

You can leave out the pancetta if you wish. Simply add the sauteed garlic and chili powder to the dish before baking.

CAN I USE PRE GRATED CHEESE?

I would not recommend it. Pre grated cheese contains chemicals to prevent the individual shreds from clumping together. Not only does this add unnecessary additives to your meal, but the cheese won’t taste as fresh and flavourful.

WHAT ARE SHALLOTS?

A shallot is a small onion with a mild flavour and a delicate sweet flavour. They are less harsh than a regular onion and taste delicious in this dish.

CAN I USE JUST ONE KIND OF CHEESE?

I would not recommend that. The complexity of this dish is the result of the many different kinds of cheese that are used and how their flavours compliment one another. I strongly recommend using Gruyere, Pecorino, Aged Cheddar, and Parmesan.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

CAN I USE ANOTHER MEAT INSTEAD OF PANCETTA?

This dish needs a salty flavourful meat to offset the rich and creamy sauce. If you’d like, you can use bacon or proscuitto as a substitute for pancetta in this dish.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT KIND OF PASTA?

You can use a different style of pasta if you’d like. I’d recommend a short pasta like pipette, fusilli, cavatappi, or campanelle. Make sure that whatever pasta you use, you cook it extremely al dente before adding it to the sauce.

EQUIPMENT FOR FOUR CHEESE MAC AND CHEESE WITH PANCETTA

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make this delicious Four Cheese Mac and Cheese:

• Heavy Bottomed Pan – My most used pan by far is my Le Creuset Braising Pan. It is made of heavy cast iron and coated in ceramic as all Le Creuset cast iron pans are. It’s large and deep which makes it perfect for everything from frying, to making sauces, to roasting. I can’t recommend it enough.

• Wooden Spoon

• Kitchen Aid Food Processor – I use my Kitchen Aid Food Processor whenever I need to to finely chop and puree vegetables or a sauce. It also works beautifully to grate large amounts of cheese quickly.
  

• Kitchen Knife – Zwilling J.A. Henkel Kitchen Knife a good kitchen knife is a necessary tool for any home cook. Quality and price point varies widely. This is what I use at home. It’s a perfectly decent knife, while still being very affordable.

• Cutting Board

COOKING DIRECTIONS

This Four Cheese Mac and Cheese with Pancetta is as simple to prepare as it is delicious, provided you follow a few rules:

1. Use all four kind of cheese in this dish.
2. Undercook your pasta before adding it to the sauce.
3. Bake until your mac and cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

I would not recommend making any ingredients in advance for this recipe.

This sumptuous pasta can be stored in the fridge for up to four days, and frozen in an airtight container. Be careful when reheating this mac and cheese because the dairy fat gets extremely hot!

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy your amazing Four Cheese Mac and Cheese with Pancetta!

OTHER PASTA DISHES

Easy Parmesan Meatballs with Spaghetti

Fettuccine Carbonara

Pancetta Pesto Pasta

Pork and Beef Rigatoni Bolognese

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cooking.with.carbs.

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Did you make this decadent Four Cheese Mac and Cheese with Pancetta? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!