Say Cheese.
There are times for restraint.
This is not one of them.
Mac ’n’ cheese has never pretended to be sophisticated. It’s pasta, cream and an irresponsible amount of cheese baked until bubbling and golden. Which, when you think about it, is a fairly flawless concept.
The secret is not to overthink it, but you should over-cheese it.
For this one, we’ve assembled what can only be described as a small dairy board meeting: Taleggio, smoked gouda, pecorino, Parmigiano Reggiano, aged cheddar and provolone.
Everyone has a job.
Taleggio brings the funk. Gouda brings the smoke and stretch. Pecorino and Parmigiano bring the salty stuff. Cheddar makes itself useful in the sauce. And provolone goes over the top to create that golden, blistered lid everyone will fight over.
Technically, this began as quattro formaggi.
Technically, there are now six cheeses.
We regret nothing.
It’s rich. It’s gooey. It’s completely unnecessary.
Exactly as mac ’n’ cheese should be.
Is six cheeses excessive?
Absolutely.
Would we remove one?
Absolutely not.
Mac ’n’ Cheese, Earl-ish Style
- Serves
- 6-8
- Time
- ~45 mins
Ingredients
- 375g mezze maniche or mezzi rigatoni
- 75g bacon, diced, cooked
- 100g Taleggio, cubed
- 25g smoked gouda, sliced
- 250g provolone, thinly sliced
- For the cheese sauce
- 285ml cream
- 125ml chicken stock
- 65g aged cheddar, grated
- 50g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, plus more to finish
- 50g pecorino, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Bring the cream and stock to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10–15 minutes, until reduced by a little more than half.
- Whisk in the cheddar, Parmigiano and pecorino, then remove from the heat. You’re looking for roughly béchamel consistency. Too thin? Reduce it a little longer or add more cheese. Too thick? Loosen with a splash of stock. And yes, “add more cheese” is legitimate culinary advice.
- Heat the oven to 180°C.
- Cook your pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, then toss through the bacon and cheese sauce.
- Transfer to an ovenproof dish and push the Taleggio and smoked gouda into little pockets throughout the pasta.
- Blanket the whole thing in provolone.
- Bake for around 15 minutes, until golden, bubbling and looking frankly ridiculous.
- Let it cool for a minute or two, then finish with a very generous shower of Parmigiano.
- Serve immediately. Preferably with wine. And preferably with people who aren’t going to ask you to share.