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Cheesy mac, macaroni and cheese, mac and cheese, or hot cheese. What do you call it? There are so many names for the family friendly comfort food! Aside of tender macaroni, this cheesy mac recipe calls for Wisconsin cheddar and blue cheeses. A little prosciutto is tossed in too, for salty, smoky flavor.
Macaroni and cheese is quite possibly one of my favorite dishes of all time. You can find a lot of variations of basic mac and cheese, mainly because it’s so versatile. With meat or without, it is warm, creamy and comforting. It works equally well as a main dish as it does a side dish.
That’s why it’s often gracing the table at pitch-in’s and family gatherings. Most people have their own tried and true family favorite recipe. The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board encouraged me to create my own version using blue cheese. Loving a challenge, I was thrilled to do it!
Thinking outside of the box, I used 2 of my favorite Wisconsin cheeses, blue and cheddar, to create a new twist on an old favorite.
A crunchy top layer of Panko bread crumbs and prosciutto give way to the creamy pasta twists underneath. It’s tangy, with just the right amount of blue cheese to enhance the flavor profile of this meal.
By far, this is the most flavorful and decadent cheesy mac you will ever eat!
I call it cheesy mac, but what do you call this creamy comfort food?
Total Servings 4
Tender spirals of pasta with creamy Wisconsin cheddar cheese, blue cheese, and salty prosciutto. A delicious comfort food recipe!
5 minPrep (inc. refrigeration & rest time)
25 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Ingredients
- 1 pound of spiral or tubular pasta, I used Cavatappi, cooked until al dente and drained
- 3 TB of unsalted butter
- 1/4 C of all-purpose flour
- 2 medium sized shallots, minced
- 2 1/2 C of whole milk
- 1 C of heavy cream
- 3 C of freshly grated Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese
- 1 1/2 C of crumbled Wisconsin Blue Cheese
- 1 C of Panko bread crumbs
- 4 slices of Prosciutto, sliced into strips
- salt/pepper
Instructions
- Butter a 13 by 9 baking dish or individual gratin dishes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large, heavy skillet add the butter and shallots. Saute over medium-low heat for 2 minutes , or until translucent. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minutes. Do not let the flour and butter brown.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Stir to break up any lumps. Simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, 3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add the Cheddar cheese, 1 cup at a time, to allow it to incorporate. Next add 1 cup of the Blue cheese. Whisk until all of the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Taste the sauce to determine how much salt and pepper you need. Just a pinch of salt should do it.
- Fold in the cooked pasta to coat it all. Transfer this mixture to your baking dish (s). Sprinkle with Panko, remaining Blue cheese and the sliced Prosciutto.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Important Notes
Serves 3-4 as a main dish or 6 as a side dish.
More delicious cheesy pasta dishes to try:
10 Dinners for Ten Bucks; Meal Planning to Save Money
Fresh Pasta Made in Indiana and Pasta Dinner Recipes
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
