Blue Box Beware!
New President, new season of Lost, my first volume of the Journal of Law & Policy in hand… I have a lot to celebrate. And to my Southern girl palate, nothing is more celebratory than comfort food. So to ring in this happy trio, I made my absolute favorite mac and cheese.
I saw Mac & Cheese with Pancetta in Bon Appetit’s Restaurant Issue and initially blew it off. I’ve created my share of “churched-up” mac and cheese, using everything from Gorgonzola to white wine to enhance this done-and-done-again classic; the last thing I needed was another recipe. But a friend convinced me to ditch my self-made versions and give Bon Appetit’s a whirl. And holy 12-year cheddar, Batman…am I glad I did.
There are two secrets to this delectable dish: the pancetta and the cheese combination. Bacon isn’t novel in mac and cheese, but this is different. Pancetta, like bacon, is made from pork belly. But unlike its brined and smoked cousin, pancetta is seasoned and then cured, resulting in a flavorful – and to my mind, more delicate – alternative. Using pancetta as the first building block results in a cheese sauce that has a subtle, yet deep, heartiness.
The cheeses are the second genius element. The cheddar (I used an aged white) provides sharpness and depth; the Parmigiano-Reggiano is salty, nutty and a tad fruity; and the mascarpone rounds out the combination with a creamy, slightly sweet finish. I have tried tons of cheeses in pursuit of the perfect combination; I daresay these fit the bill.
Not convinced yet? You can make two main components – the cheese sauce and the panko breadcrumb crust – a day ahead. Serve some grape tomatoes (sautéed with olive oil & balsamic vinegar and tossed with a little basil) to cut the richness, and you’re done. Unless Bill and my neighbors were lying to me, and their empty plates spoke for themselves, it’s a crowd pleaser. So the next time you have something to celebrate, buy some cheese and go nuts.
