Cacio e Pepe Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate American crowd-pleaser, so what could be more fun than mashing it up with another culinary icon, the classic Roman four-ingredient cacio e pepe? The key here is to eschew spaghetti in favor of a short, shaped pasta. Shells, rotini, or gemelli all work well — look for a shape with as many nooks and crannies as possible, where all that delicious sauce can collect.
Yield: All recipes serve 2 people
Chef Notes: Don’t skimp on the pepper here — we recommend a full tablespoon of freshly cracked black pepper, but after tasting the sauce, you may find you want to add even more.
Components
Béchamel
Pasta
Panko topping
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Minced chives (optional, for garnish)
Mise
Make béchamel: Melt 2 T butter in medium saucepan. Sprinkle flour over entire surface of pan, then stir until flour is light brown and toasted. Add ½ c milk to skillet, stirring until milk is absorbed, then continue adding milk in batches while stirring. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of thin oatmeal. Add Pecorino and stir until sauce is smooth. Add black pepper. Taste and add salt and additional pepper as needed. Set aside.
Cook pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and boil until just al dente. Drain, then toss pasta and sauce together until well-coated. Place in oven-proof casserole.
Make panko topping: While pasta is cooking, melt remaining 1 T butter. Let cool slightly, then stir together with panko.
Assemble and bake casserole: Preheat oven to 375˚F. Sprinkle panko topping over pasta, then sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for about 20 minutes, until sides are bubbling and top is golden.
Finish
Serve mac and cheese in bowls, topped with minced chives.