| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 5 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 3 cups shredded aged or extra-sharp Cheddar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces pancetta, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the Cheddar, butter cubes, sugar, ground mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, a minute or so less than the recommended cooking time on the package. Drain well. While still hot, dump the macaroni into the Cheddar-butter mixture and toss to mix well.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the milk to a bare simmer over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg briefly to break it up. Temper the egg by drizzling 1/2 cup of the warm milk in while whisking until incorporated. (This will prevent the egg from scrambling.) Mix the tempered egg and the remaining warm milk into the macaroni and stir well until everything is evenly coated.
- Pour the contents of the bowl into the prepared baking pan, spreading the macaroni and sauce evenly.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the pancetta, Parmesan, panko and parsley, and sprinkle over the top of the macaroni. (This will create a yummy crust.)
- Bake until golden brown and bubbling on top, and the pancetta is crispy, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 665 |
| Total Fat | 36 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 31 g |
| Cholesterol | 117 mg |
| Sodium | 700 mg |
Reviews
This is one of two recipes that I come back to regularly on Food Network (the other being Alton Brown’s steak au poivre). Comes out awesome every time.
I add some andouille sausage to the mix right after the cheese and macaroni combine.
Love you Ayesha! I read reviews and will make later this week…I’ll update my review…thanks!
This is the best base recipe for Mac & Cheese I’ve ever made. I swapped out some of the cheddar for raclette and fontina, and added a bit of velveeta for creaminess. It was all gone at the end of the party I made it for, and got rave reviews. I’ll definitely make it again!
Just loved this recipe, think it could be creamier.maybe use half and half?
The crust makes this dish! It’s so good! I did find it dry/not cheesey enough. So I’m adding cream of chicken and more cheese next time around.
Big hit in my house, though I personally found it a little dry
Not fond of Ayesha Curry for past comments she has made, but this recipe looks good, easy as well. The pancetta is not necessary, Vienna sausages are great for mac and cheese.
This is now our “go-to” recipe for Mac N Cheese.
This recipe was great and very easy! My family loved the mac n cheese!!! The crunchy top was my favorite part!
Love this show with Ayesha!! One of the best–thanks for giving us this show, Food Network! I am making the bakes macaroni, greens, and cornbread for Thanksgiving. All three recipes are positively scrumptious!