French Macaroni & Cheese with Ham (Coquillettes au Jambon)

• μερίδες: 4 servings
• χρόνος ενεργούς προετοιμασίας: 10 minutes
• συνολικός χρόνος: 30 minutes

Υλικά

2 cups (≈ 225g) elbow pasta (coquillettes, elbow macaroni)

1 tbsp butter1 shallot, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

A dozen button mushrooms (200g), washed and sliced

1 cup (250ml) stock (vegetable or chicken, ideally low-sodium)

½ cup (120ml) heavy cream (35% m.f.)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp salt

¾ cup (75g) Comté cheese (or Emmental, Gruyère), grated

4 slices Paris Ham, chopped in matchsticks

1 tbsp chive, minced

Οδηγίες

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, but stop one minute before the suggested cooking time so it stays al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set the pasta aside.

In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once it begins to foam, add the diced shallot and cook for about 3 minutes, until soft, translucent, and fragrant.

Stir in the minced garlic and sliced mushrooms. Cook for around 5 minutes, until the mushrooms soften and release their moisture. Pour in the stock and heavy cream, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens.

Add the al-dente pasta to the pan, along with the grated cheese. Stir well to coat everything in the creamy sauce. Let it cook for another 2–3 minutes so the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce becomes beautifully creamy.

If the sauce feels too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired creaminess.

Divide the creamy pasta into bowls. Top generously with chopped Parisian ham and finish with a sprinkle of fresh chives for color and freshness. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Διατροφή

• Θερμίδες: 200
• Συνολικά Λιπαρά: 20 g