A New Twist on Classic Mac & Cheese

On Monday night Steve and I wanted to make some comfort food and decided to try a mac and cheese recipe from the 'Kitchen Survival Guide, Cook This Not That' cookbook that we have been trying a few recipes from.


The recipe was different that any mac and cheese we had made before because it had both prosciutto and panko bread crumbs. The recipe took awhile to make, longer than most mac and cheese recipes I have tried before; and the consistency seemed a little too milky for my liking (I prefer a really cheesy mac and cheese). And the prosciutto added a nice flavour to the dish as well (a nice salty taste to mix with the milky/cheesy taste).

On Monday night we were minimally satisfied with the end result, but when we had some for leftovers (and added more grated cheese) we found that it was much better! I would recommend trying this recipe if you are becoming bored with your usual mac and cheese recipe; however, I would suggest using less milk than the recipe calls for and adding more cheese than the recipe calls for.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups milk (I suggest using less)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I suggest using cheddar and using more)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 2 oz prosciutto cut into this strips
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated cheese

Directions:

•  Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent (but not browned), about 3 minutes.
• Add the flour and stir to incorporate into the butter.
• Pour in the milk a few tablespoons at a time, using a whisk to incorporate the flour and prevent lumps from forming. When all the milk has been added, allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes, until it begins to thicken. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al denta, drain and return to the pot. Add the cheese sauce and prosciutto and stir to fully incorporate. Pour into a large baking dish and top with the bread crumbs and sprinkle with parmesan.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until the bread crumbs are golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes.

 This recipe makes about 6 servings.

The recipe is from:
Cook This, Not That! - Kitchen Survival Guide
The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution
David Zinczenko & Matt Goulding
Rodale Inc. 2010
Page 230