Cacio e Pepe Mac

We’ve always felt like Cacio e Pepe is a little mac-and-cheese-adjacent, so we used The Swan—our sheep’s milk and peppercorn cow’s milk cheddar—to create a mac inspired by the dish. Lusciously creamy with a peppery warmth, this recipe is what cozy dinner dreams are made of!

What You’ll Need:

• 1 lb. elbow pasta of choice

• 4 cups The Swan, shredded

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 medium shallot, minced

• 1 medium clove of garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup flour

• 3 cups whole milk

• Salt and additional pepper to taste

 Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is just al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Shred 4 cups of The Swan and set it aside.

3. In the large pot used for cooking the pasta, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the minced shallots and garlic, and cook for approximately 3 minutes or until the shallots and garlic are tender, but not browned.

4. Add 1/4 cup flour to the shallot mixture, stirring to form a paste. Cook the flour mixture approximately 1 minute until it starts to bubble.

5. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a soft boil, stirring very frequently, until it begins to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat and add the shredded cheese, stirring until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.

6. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.