Butternut macaroni cheese with pancetta

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serve: Serves 4
Dietary: Egg-free Nut-free Pregnancy-friendly

An indulgent macaroni cheese made with roast butternut squash, sharp cheddar and melting mozzarella. The crispy pancetta adds savoury depth and the golden buttery crumb is the perfect topping.

By Verity Genco

Shopping list

Ingredients

For the macaroni cheese

1 small butternut squash (about 400g/14oz prepared weight), peeled and cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
200g/7oz pancetta, chopped
500ml/18fl oz full-fat milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
250g/9oz macaroni
150g/5½oz mature cheddar, grated
125g/4½oz mozzarella, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the crumb topping

60g/2¼oz panko breadcrumbs
30g/1oz butter, melted
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives, to garnish

Recipe tips

How-to videos

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Put the squash on a large baking tray. Toss in the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until tender and golden at the edges. Blend the squash with 100ml/3½fl oz water in a food processor to a smooth purée – it should create about 240–280g/8½–10oz purée. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large ovenproof frying pan or skillet (about 28cm/11in wide) over a medium heat. Fry the pancetta for 5–6 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving a little of the rendered fat in the pan.
Pour the milk and 600ml/20fl oz water into the pan. Add the garlic powder, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Bring just to a gentle simmer, then stir in the macaroni. Cook for 12–14 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the pasta is just al dente and the liquid has thickened to a creamy sauce.
Take the pan off the heat and leave to settle until the sauce stops bubbling. Add the cheddar and mozzarella gradually, a handful at a time, stirring until smooth and glossy before adding more.
Fold in the squash purée and pancetta. Season with salt and pepper. The sauce may look loose at first but it will thicken as the cheese melts and the pasta rests.
To make the topping, mix the breadcrumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Scatter evenly over the macaroni cheese.
Preheat the grill to its hottest setting. Grill the macaroni cheese for 3–4 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and golden.
Garnish with chives and serve hot, straight from the pan.

Comments

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