Recipes

Cheesy Pasta & Pancetta Gratin

A great mid-week supper dish packed full of flavour - serve with a crisp salad on the side.

Savoury

Ingredients

200g macaroni, or other small pasta
130g pancetta, cut into small cubes
1 small leek - washed, trimmed & finely chopped
50g butter
60g flour
450mls milk
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
130g Seriously® Strong Extra Mature cheddar, grated
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

To finish:
50g Seriously® Strong Extra Mature cheddar, grated
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
100g Dean's Extra Mature Cheddar Bites, crumbed

Follow The Steps

Pre-heat the oven to 180degC.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Tip in the pasta and cook according to pack instructions. Drain well and leave to one side.

Heat a frying pan over a moderate heat and add the cubed pancetta. Cook gently until the fat starts to run.

Add the chopped leek and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes until the leeks are soft and the pancetta is starting to brown.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the milk a little at a time stirring continuously.

Once all the milk is added return to the heat and keep stirring until the sauce comes to the boil.

Add the grated cheddar and nutmeg followed by the cooked pancetta, leeks and pasta - mix well.

Season with salt & pepper and pour into an ovenproof dish.

To finish, mix the grated cheeses and crumbed Dean's Extra Mature Cheddar Bites and scatter evenly over the pasta.

Bake for around 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.