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Baked Macaroni with Mortadella and Mozzarella
© Con Poulos

Baked Macaroni with Mortadella and Mozzarella

  • ACTIVE: 45 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 4 to 6

Chef Paul Kahan ramps up this comforting Italian take on mac and cheese with fresh mozzarella, mortadella, eggs and a rich pork ragù.

  1. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  2. 1 onion, finely chopped
  3. 1 garlic clove, minced
  4. 1 pound ground pork
  5. 1 cup dry white wine
  6. One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  7. Generous pinch of crushed red pepper
  8. Kosher salt
  9. 2 large eggs
  10. 12 ounces elbow macaroni
  11. 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
  12. 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  13. One 1/4-pound piece of mortadella, cut into small dice
  14. 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
  15. 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 4 minutes. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, 10 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until evaporated, 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, crushed red pepper and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until thickened, 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cover the eggs with water and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat for 8 minutes. Drain the eggs and cool under running water, then peel and finely chop.
  3. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni until al dente; drain well and stir into the sauce with the basil, parsley, chopped eggs, mortadella, three-fourths of the mozzarella and 3/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  4. Transfer the macaroni to a 3-quart ceramic baking dish and scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Bake for 25 minutes, until hot. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Make Ahead The unbaked assembled macaroni can be refrigerated overnight. Return to room temperature before baking.

Suggested Pairing

Robustly fruity Zinfandel is a good match for the richness of this pasta.