This is for those “glam” guests.
A gorgeous side with the creamy Gorgonzola or Dolcelatte cheese and the pancetta and scallions.
Serves 4
3 cups or 12 oz macaroni
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup or 3 oz pancetta, diced
1 small handful of fresh thyme leaves
5 scallions trimmed and finely sliced
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 handful chopped fresh parsley
Cheese sauce
3 tbsp butter
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
A good pinch grated nutmeg (Grate it fresh)
1 tsp Colmans or another strong mustard powder
A generous 3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
8 oz Gorgonzola or Dolcelatte cheese
5 oz parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 400 F
Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water, but don’t completely cook it or it will be a mush after it comes out of the oven. Undercook it so it is slightly chewy and still has a bite to it. Drain, then return the macaroni to the pan and set aside.
Fry the pancetta in a medium skillet over a gently heat until it just starts to brown and crisp up, then add the thyme leaves and scallions and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add it’s contents to the pasta.
For the sauce;
Put the butter, nutmeg, flour and mustard powder in a small pan over a medium heat and cook until the butter has melted.
Mix the milk and cream in a pitcher, then add a little at a time to the flour and butter in the pan, stirring well.
Keep adding the milk mixture, bit by bit, stirring well each time. This will prevent the sauce from getting lumpy. DON’T put all the milk/cream in at once or it will get clumpy.
As you’re stirring make sure you get the spoon or whisk right into all the corners as stray moulds of flour often lurk there.
Once the sauce has fully come together, turn up the heat and boil for a minute or two.
The sauce should thicken considerably, then remove the pan from the heat.
Add 2/3 of both the cheeses to the sauce , stirring, while it is hot and combine well.
It may be a bit lumpy, but that is fine.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to the pasta mix.
Stir everything well and spoon into a shallow casserole dish.
Sprinkle the top with the rest of the cheese and the breadcrumbs and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese begins to bubble and the top goes crumbly and brown.
Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve while hot.
