Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

Italian Sheet Pan Mac And Cheese

Name: Italian Sheet Pan Mac And Cheese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6

20 MINPrep Time

35 MINCook Time

6 to 8Servings

by Giada

Member Exclusive

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

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Here’s the deal: I’ve absolutely fallen in love with the concept of a sheet pan baked pasta. Ever since my Sheet Pan Layerless Lasagna, I can’t seem to stop adapting recipes this way (my Sheet Pan Pasta Alla Norma was on repeat all summer long) because having more surface area on a baked pasta means my favorite thing: more crispy bites! Everyone gets that perfect crispy topping, which, in my opinion, is the best part of a baked mac and cheese. I’ve made this recipe using provolone instead of fontina and it works wonderfully, but there’s something about that nutty, buttery flavor of fontina I just love. You can skip the tomatoes if you want, but I personally love getting a pop of sweetness to balance the richness of the dish.

For a bit of fun history, a pasta shape just like taccole that I use in this recipe is said to have been used in the first ever mac and cheese recipe - you can read more about that here. Personally, I think taccole is the absolute perfect shape for a baked pasta like this; it’s bite-sized, and all those ruffles get perfectly crunchy in the oven.

Italian Sheet Pan Mac And Cheese

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Servings

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Ingredients

For The Topping:

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

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3 tablespoons olive oil

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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (14-ounce) can datterini tomatoes, drained

For The Pasta:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the sheet pan
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

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1 quart (4 cups) whole milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups grated Fontina cheese, from one 8-ounce block
2 cups shredded mozzarella, from one 8-ounce bag
1 pound short pasta, such as Taccole

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Butter a rimmed sheet pan (about 18 by 13 inches) and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the panko, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and set aside. Drain the can of datterini tomatoes and set those aside as well.
For the pasta sauce, place a large saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter and whisk in the flour until smooth. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the milk mixture to a simmer, stirring often, and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes to thicken slightly; it should coat the back of a spoon. Season with the salt and garlic powder. Remove the pan from heat and fold in the fontina and mozzarella until melted and smooth - the sauce will be very cheesy.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente and slightly undercooked, about two minutes less than package instructions. Using a pasta spider or slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly to the cheese sauce. Mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.
Carefully pour the pasta mixture into the prepared sheet pan and spread it out evenly. Dot the top of the pasta with the drained datterini tomatoes. Top evenly with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake in the top third of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving.