VOL. XIII
NO. 014
Bottle & Flame
Musings on food, wine, and more
EST. MMXIII
LAKE OSWEGO, OR
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Honeycomb Macaroni
flameDessert

Honeycomb Macaroni

Ingredients

  • PORKY CREAM SAUCE:
  • 2 1/2" (6 cm) square of guanciale or fatty pancetta
  • 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp ground green cardamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • MACARONI:
  • 13oz/375 grams ziti macaroni (see note *)
  • 1 heaping cup (100 grams) finely shredded gouda or cheddar
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. PREPARE CREAM SAUCE: Dice guanciale or pancetta then place inside a food-processor. Pulse and run until ground into a sausage-like paste. You'll need 3 tbsp of it for this recipe, and keep the rest for sautéing vegetables or etc.
  2. In a medium pot over medium heat, cook 3 tbsp of ground pancetta or guanciale until lightly browned and a considerable amount of fat has been rendered. Add minced garlic and flour, and cook until fragrant. Whisk in whole milk, heavy cream, ground green cardamon, ground nutmeg, black and white pepper, and let simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened. DO NOT add additional salt prior to this point, because the the pancetta and guanciale will release a lot of saltiness. Whisk in the Dijon mustard and give it a taste, then re-season with more find sea salt as needed.
  3. If you don't mind a chunkier texture, keep the sauce as is. But if you like a silkier texture, strain the sauce over a find sieve into another pot, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as you can, then discard the solids. Cover the pot (to prevent a skin from forming) and set aside until needed.
  4. COOK THE ZITI MACARONI: Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt it generously. Cook the ziti macaroni until just SHY of al dente. Drain well and transfer into a large bowl, then toss together with 1/3 cup of the cream sauce and shredded cheese, then set aside.
  5. Place a round mould 6" (15 cm) in diameter, or a square mould 5" (13cm) wide inside a NON-STICK skillet and place over medium heat. Add unsalted butter into the mould and whisk in 1/2 tsp of flour as the butter melts. Turn off heat. Then arrange the ziti macaroni inside the mould until it's completely filled up, make sure all the bottom tips are contacting the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-low heat, put a lid on (so the cheese melts properly), and cook until the bottom layer is golden browned and crispy, about 3~5 minutes. You can check by gently lifting the mound and take a peep.
  6. Inver the ziti macaroni together with the mould onto a warmed plate. Let the surface cool and crispy up for 30 seconds, then remove the mould. Serve immediately with the reserved cream sauce.
  7. This one plate should serve two people. If you want individual servings, you can cook the ziti macaroni in smaller moulds.

Originally published at ladyandpups.com. Reproduced for personal collection.

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