Cacio e Pepe Mac ’n Cheese

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni for 2 to 3 minutes, until just slightly softened, but still very firm. Reserve 125 ml (½ cup) of the pasta cooking water before draining.
3. In a large bowl, combine the Cacio e Pepe sauce and partially cooked macaroni. Pour the reserved pasta water into one of the empty sauce jars, close the lid tightly and shake well to loosen any remaining sauce. Pour into the second empty jar, shake again, then add the contents to the bowl. Stir well to coat the pasta. Add most of the cheddar, mozzarella, Havarti, and Gruyère, reserving some for the top. Mix until evenly distributed.
4. Pour the macaroni mixture into a 9 × 9-inch baking dish, or divide among 4 individual oven-safe baking dishes.
5. Sprinkle the Parmesan and Pecorino Romano evenly over the surface, then top with the remaining cheddar, mozzarella, havarti, and Gruyère.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden brown. If desired, broil for 1 to 2 minutes for extra browning, watching carefully.
7. Wait about 5 minutes before serving. For an optional crunchy finish, top with homemade pangrattato. Buon appetito!