Macaroni with cheese and ham
10 servings
80 minutes
Macaroni with cheese and ham is a delightful dish of Italian cuisine that embodies a harmony of flavors and textures. Tender pasta shells soaked in a creamy sauce made from cream and two types of cheese—cheddar and blue—create a rich, velvety taste. The addition of ham brings an appetizing meaty note, while the crispy topping of toasted breadcrumbs completes the composition with a perfect accent. This dish has roots in traditional macaroni casseroles widely known in Italian and American families. It is perfect for both a cozy home dinner and a festive table, delighting with its rich flavor and aroma of fresh herbs and spices.
1
Grease the baking tray with 1 tbsp of butter. Boil the pasta until al dente. Chop the bread pieces in a food processor. Mix the resulting crumbs with 4 tbsp of butter.
- Unsalted butter: 11 tablespoons
- Elbow macaroni (gomiti): 350 g
- White loaf (baton): 2 pieces
- Unsalted butter: 11 tablespoons
2
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Melt the remaining butter in a baking dish over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion and thyme. Add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Pour in milk and cream, increase the heat and cook until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, add grated cheese, parsley, sauce, chopped shallots, pepper and nutmeg. Add cooked pasta, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake for 30-40 minutes.
- Unsalted butter: 11 tablespoons
- Onion: 1 head
- Wild thyme: 2 teaspoons
- Wheat flour: 3 glasss
- Milk: 2 glasss
- Heavy (double) cream: 350 g
- Salt: to taste
- Cheddar cheese: 300 g
- Chopped parsley: 100 g
- Tabasco sauce: 1 teaspoon
- Shallot: 4 heads
- Ground black pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Nutmeg: 1 teaspoon