I’m colliding both my worlds once again, tapping into my Italian culture and my American one. The technique here is rooted in a classic mac and cheese, but the flavors are decidedly Italian. For this recipe, I thought long and hard about the cheese blend. Each one brings something different to the dish, and together they create something far more interesting than simply “cheesy.”
Taleggio brings richness and incredible creaminess. Fontina Val d’Aosta, the real thing, has a delicate sharpness and just enough funk to give the sauce character. Caciocavallo melts beautifully while bringing a savory, gently assertive quality of its own. And Parmigiano ties everything together with that unmistakable savory, umami depth.
I also soften a finely chopped shallot in the butter before building the béchamel. It’s a small addition, but an important one. The shallot adds another layer of flavor that helps cut through all that richness and keeps the cheeses from becoming one monotone note. A little prosciutto cotto, Italian cooked ham, adds another savory dimension and a subtle smokiness without overpowering the cheese.
Then I decided to take the whole thing one step further with a crunchy focaccia topping. I turn a square of rosemary and olive oil focaccia into coarse crumbs and toss those with melted butter, more Parmigiano and freshly ground black pepper. Scattered generously over the pasta, the focaccia becomes golden and crisp in the oven while still remaining wonderfully light.
When it comes to the béchamel, this isn’t the place to be conservative. You want plenty of it. The pasta continues to absorb the sauce as it bakes, so the mixture should look almost a little too saucy before it goes into the oven. That’s what leaves you with a luscious, molten interior underneath that light, crispy focaccia crust.
It’s rich, unapologetically decadent, and layered with Italian flavor—a mac and cheese that still gives you everything you love about the American classic, just through a very Italian lens. It might even be a little life-changing.
Love this recipe? Discover more of Joanna’s Italian-inspired recipes at Appetito.
Italian-Inspired Mac and Cheese
4
servings15
minutes30
minutesPASTA + CHEESE
1 lb. 1 mezze pasta
8 oz. 8 Fontina Val d’Aosta, coarsely grated
10 oz. 10 Caciocavallo, coarsely grated
8 oz. 8 Taleggio, rind removed and cut into small pieces
1 cup 1 finely grated Parmigiano, plus more for the top
4 slices 4 prosciutto cotto, roughly chopped
- Béchamel
5-6 tbsp. 5-6 unsalted butter
1 small 1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup 1/4 all-purpose flour
5-6 cups 5-6 whole milk
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
- Crispy focaccia topping
1 square 1 rosemary and olive oil focaccia
3 tbsp. 3 unsalted butter
1/2 cup 1/2 finely grated Parmigiano
1/2 tsp. 1/2 freshly gound black pepper
Directions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Butter a medium baking dish and set aside.
- Make the focaccia topping. Tear the focaccia into pieces and pulse in a food processor to form coarse crumbs, keeping plenty of texture.
- Toss the crumbs with the melted butter, Parmigiano, and black pepper until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
- Add the mezze pasta and cook it only about three-quarters of the way through. It should be very, very al dente when you drain it. The pasta will continue to cook and absorb the béchamel in the oven, so you want it to have plenty of structure. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
- Add the finely chopped shallot and cook gently until completely softened but not browned.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute or two to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in 5 cups of the whole milk, whisking as you go to keep the sauce smooth. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Continue cooking gently, stirring often, until the béchamel begins to thicken.
- Keep it relatively loose and creamy—you want plenty of sauce because the pasta will continue absorbing it as it bakes. Add more milk as needed, up to the remaining cup.
- Lower the heat and gradually add the Fontina Val d’Aosta, Caciocavallo, Taleggio, and Parmigiano, stirring until the cheeses are completely melted and the sauce is smooth and luscious.
- Remove the cheese béchamel from the heat. Add the very al dente pasta directly to the sauce and toss until every piece is thoroughly coated.
- The mixture should look generously sauced—almost a little too saucy. Fold in the roughly chopped prosciutto cotto, distributing it evenly throughout.
- Transfer everything to the prepared medium buttered baking dish.
- Scatter the focaccia crumbs generously over the surface and finish with a little more grated Parmigiano.
- Bake at 425°F for about 25 minutes, until the cheese sauce is bubbling around the edges and the focaccia topping is crisp and deeply golden.
- Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving. The pasta underneath should remain incredibly creamy and luscious, with that light, crunchy focaccia crust over the top.
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