LVG’S P&P MAC & CHEESE
MY MOTHER-IN-LAW’S BAKED MAC & CHEESE BASE RECIPE WITH MY FAVORITE ADDITIONS - PANCETTA & PEAS!
skill level: BEGINNER | quantity: serves 6-10
LISTS
GROCERY LIST:
¾ stick | Unsalted Butter
2 cups | Whole Milk
1 cup | Heavy Whipping Cream
24 ounces | Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Brand recommendation - 8 ounces of Cabot Simply Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Brand recommendation - 8 ounces of Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Brand recommendation - 8 ounces of Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese
½ pound | Pancetta (thick sliced)
2 pounds | Cellentani Pasta
1 ½ cups | Peas (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon | Kosher Salt
1 ½ teaspoons | Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1 teaspoon | Cayenne Powder
½ teaspoon | Ground Nutmeg
½ teaspoon | Dry Mustard
KITCHENWARE:
Large Boiling Pot
12x9-inch Baking Dish
Large Liquid Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoons & Cups, Knife & Whisk
prep
Helpful tips!
Mac and cheese can be assembled the day/hours before baking and left in the fridge or cooked the day/hours before and simply reheated in the oven.
I love cellentani pasta for this recipe but any type of tube shaped or shell pasta work.
No need to add salt when boiling water - the pancetta fat drippings add plenty of flavor and saltiness to the water. If skipping pancetta make sure you heavily season your water with salt.
Cayenne, nutmeg and mustard are completely optional.
Slicing the cheese is important. Do not grate. It melts better and creates a gooier mac and cheese.
Heavy whipping cream can be substituted with whole milk but the mac and cheese might be slightly runny.
The overall method and technique is a great base and this can be made plain (no pancetta or peas) or with any other combination. I’ve made this with a variety of fillings including crab and roasted broccoli, shredded chicken and bacon and more!
You can divide the recipe in half to make a half size portion.
COOK
MAC & CHEESE:
½ pound | Pancetta (thick sliced)
2 pounds | Cellentani Pasta
24 ounces | Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 ½ cups | Peas (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon | Kosher Salt
1 ½ teaspoons | Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1 teaspoon | Cayenne Powder
½ teaspoon | Ground Nutmeg
½ teaspoon | Dry Mustard
¾ stick | Unsalted Butter
2 cups | Whole Milk
1 cup | Heavy Whipping Cream
Cube pancetta into bite size chunks, about the size of large peas. Heat skillet over medium heat and cook pancetta until fat renders and pancetta is crispy, about 5-8 minutes (depending on thickness). Remove crispy pancetta from fat and rest on paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
Fill boiling pot with water, add pancetta fat drippings and bring to boil. Once boiled, add pasta and cook as directed on package until al dente. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
Slice blocks of cheese into ⅛-inch slices. Set aside.
Mix together salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg and mustard to create seasoning. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350° F and place rack in the center of the oven.
Gather crispy pancetta, cooked cellentani, sliced cheese, peas, seasoning and butter.
Add about ⅓ of the pasta to baking dish and sprinkle ½ of a cup of peas evenly over pasta. Neatly layer about ⅓ of the sliced cheese on top of the pasta and peas. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, breaking it up and dolloping it on top of the layer of cheese. Sprinkle about ⅓ of the seasoning over the layer of cheese. Repeat the process again to create the second layer.
For the final layer, toss the remaining ½ cup of peas and all of the crispy pancetta in the bowl with the remaining ⅓ of pasta. Sprinkle on top of second layer and proceed with adding the final layer of cheese, butter and seasoning.
Whisk together milk and heavy whipping cream in a large liquid measuring cup. Carefully pour milk and cream mixture evenly over the mac and cheese. Do this slowly to avoid the mixture running off the slices of cheese and outside the baking dish. You want to go slow and ensure you’re getting as much of the mac and cheese wet as possible.
Bake for 60-70 minutes until bubbly and the top is a dark golden brown. After about 50 minutes, if the top is getting too dark, cover with foil to prevent further browning. Let rest for at least 10-15 minutes before serving.. This step is important as it lets the milk and cream mixture settle and properly thicken.
Store leftovers in fridge or freeze for up to 6 months.
