Cheesy Pasta & Pancetta Gratin
A great mid-week supper dish packed full of flavour – serve with a crisp salad on the side.
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 Oat Bites, crumbed
Follow these steps
- Pre-heat the oven to 180degC
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
- ip 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 Oat Bites and scatter evenly over the pasta.
- Bake for around 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
