Mac and cheese with proscuitto

(Healthy, but don’t tell the kids) Macaroni and cheese with proscuitto


8 oz. pre-diced proscuitto
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
4 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups non-fat or 2% milk
2 C. shredded skim mozzarella and cheddar cheese mix
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, saving ¼ C. for topping
1 pound elbow macaroni
Kosher salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.

To make the sauce:
Cook proscuitto on a heavy nonstick pan on medium high heat for 5-6 minutes until it begins to crisp. Remove from pan and melt butter in saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes, then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cheeses, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Add in diced proscuitto, cover and remove from heat.

Cook macaroni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in a colander. Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
Sprinkle ¼ C. grated parmigiano over macaroni and bake uncovered until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.