Stove-top mac and cheese with pancetta crumbs
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Emma Guscott
Stove-top mac and cheese with pancetta crumbs
Short pasta like macaroni is great for cooking in the liquid that then forms the sauce – the released starch creates a much silkier texture without adding lots of fat
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
473Kcal
Fat
16gr
Saturates
8gr
Carbs
55gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
6gr
Protein
24gr
Salt
3gr
Nadine Brown
When Nadine isn't busy developing delicious recipes and using her experience as a health food editor to create healthy treats, she's munching and reviewing her way around her beloved home town of Tottenham. Find out what she's cooking and eating on Instagram @n0sh.17
See more of Nadine Brown’s recipes
Nadine Brown
When Nadine isn't busy developing delicious recipes and using her experience as a health food editor to create healthy treats, she's munching and reviewing her way around her beloved home town of Tottenham. Find out what she's cooking and eating on Instagram @n0sh.17
See more of Nadine Brown’s recipes
Ingredients
- 120g macaroni
- 150g small broccoli florets
- 150ml semi-skimmed milk
- 300ml vegetable stock, made using 1 cube
- 25g cubed pancetta or chopped bacon
- 25g sourdough, torn into small chunks
- 1 small rosemary sprig, leaves finely chopped, or ½ tsp dried
- 50g Gruyère, grated
Step by step
- In a saucepan, combine the macaroni, broccoli, milk and 175ml of the stock. Simmer over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. After about 10 minutes the pasta should be tender, and the liquid reduced and coating the pasta. If it seems dry at any point, or if the pasta needs more time, add some more of the stock and continue to cook for a couple of extra minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a frying pan on a medium heat and cook the pancetta for 2-3 minutes until it’s golden and some of the fat has been released. Add the sourdough chunks and continue to cook until they are crispy and lightly browned. Remove from the heat, roughly chop for a finer mixture then stir in the rosemary.
- When the pasta is tender, remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until melted. Add a splash more stock if needed to help create a light sauce and season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Divide between bowls and top with the crispy pancetta crumbs.
