One of your favourite fall and winter staples just got even better with creamy heritage cheese. 

Creamy Heritage Mac and Cheese Your Family Will Love

Ingredients

Main

• 8 oz dry macaroni (1 2/3 cups measured in a 2 cup glass liquid measure)
• 250 g of Prosciutto chopped and pan-fried
• Cheese Sauce
• ¼ cup butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk (recommend 3% milk)
• 9 oz Heritage Cheddar Cheese shredded
• ½ tsp kosher salt (little less if table salt)
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

Topping

• 1 oz Heritage Cheddar Cheese shredded
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• ¼ cup of breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Chop the Proscuitto in small bite-sized pieces and fry in a pan. Put aside.
2. Add water and a bit of salt to a large pot and place over high heat for the pasta. While it’s heating, prepare the cheese sauce
3. For the cheese sauce: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk and cook for about 2 minutes.
4. Very slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking constantly. Once all the milk has been added, cook, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. (Don’t rush this step. The mixture will not be thick, but will noticeably thicken after 8-10 minutes of cooking)
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cheese, salt and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all the ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes (If the cheese isn’t melted completely after about 3 minutes, you can put the pan back on low heat and stir until it is melted) set aside for a minute.
6. Preheat oven to 350ₒF with rack in the centre of the oven. Oil or butter an 8-inch round or square baking dish.
7. When the pasta water is boiling, add the macaroni and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions indicate. (The noodles will finish cooking in the sauce in the oven) When the pasta is cooked, drain and immediately rinse well with cold water. Make sure your pasta is well-drained.
8. Add the cheese sauce and the Prosciutto to the cooked pasta and mix gently but thoroughly. Spoon or ladle the mixture into a prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese, paprika and breadcrumbs.

Bake in the preheated 350ₒF oven uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until the sauce has bubbled up around the edges and the top has a nice golden crust. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe provided courtesy of: