Home / Pasta con Formaggio al Nido d’Ape (Mac and Cheese Honeycomb Pasta) – Including Thermomix & Conventional Methods

Pasta con Formaggio al Nido d’Ape (Mac and Cheese Honeycomb Pasta) – Including Thermomix & Conventional Methods

I can remember seeing a version of this impressively presented baked pasta dish on the cover of an Australian Gourmet Traveller Magazine a number of years ago and always wanted to attempt to make it! It was a recipe called “Petit Rouge Honeycomb Mac and Cheese” which used Petit Rouge washed rind cheese and Aged Gouda.

I’ve adapted the recipe with cheeses that can be more readily available, as well as adapting it so that you can use the Thermomix to make the Cheese Béchamel Sauce (because we know that making Béchamel in a Thermomix is so easy!). I’ve also included a Conventional Method for those of you that don’t have a Thermomix.

(Serves 6)
320g tortiglioni (a longer, thin rigatoni or use rigatoni)
100g red cheddar (for colour, or use a good quality cheddar)
100g taleggio or gruyere/comte cheese
100g parmigiano
30g gruyere/comte (shredded – for topping)
30g parmigiano (shredded – for topping)
2 cloves garlic
30g butter
30g flour
300g milk
300g cream
long strip of lemon zest from one lemon
1/2 tsp mustard powder
pinch nutmeg
2 pinches salt
2 pinches black pepper
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (Optional)
PREPARATION
Cook Pasta
  1. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until just under al dente (7 minutes).
  2. Drain and refresh in a colander under cold water then place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Prepare Springform Pan
  1. Grease a 19cm or 20cm springform pan with butter.
  2. Line base with a circle of baking paper to fit bottom and strips to line side of pan. Set aside.
Prepare Cheese Béchamel (Thermomix Method)
  1. Cut 100g red cheddar, 100g taleggio or gruyere, 100g parmigiano into 2cm cubes. Place into TM Bowl and chop – 5sec / SP6. Set aside and wipe down bowl with paper towel.
  2. Place garlic cloves into TM and chop – 5sec / SP5. Scrape down side.
  3. Add butter and melt – 1:30min / 100C / SP1
  4. Add flour and cook – 3:00min / 100C / SP3
  5. Add mustard powder, lemon rind, salt & pepper, nutmeg, cream & milk and cook – 6min / 90C / SP3 until thickened.
  6. Add grated/chopped cheddar, taleggio/gruyere and parmigiano cheeses, 2 tsp dijon mustard and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (optional) and combine to melt –  1:30min / SP2 (no heat).
  7. Set aside.
Prepare Cheese Béchamel (Conventional Method)
  1. Shred or grate 100g red cheddar, 100g taleggio or gruyere, 100g parmigiano. Set aside.
  2. Finely chop garlic.
  3. Prepare Cheese Bechamel Sauce by melting in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat.
  4. Whisk in flour and continue to cook off while whisking continuously, for about two minutes, so it doesn’t burn.
  5. Add cream & milk (you can mix these together in a small jug) a little at a time in a slow steady stream while continuing to whisk to combine.
  6. Once the cream & milk have been added and mixture is smooth, continue to whisk in mustard powder, lemon rind, salt & pepper & nutmeg.
  7. Continue whisking until sauce has thickened and coats the back of spoon,
  8. Remove from heat and quickly stir in shredded/grated cheeses,  2 tsp dijon mustard and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (optional).
  9. Continue to stir until cheese has melted and sauce is smooth.
  10. Set aside.
Assemble Mac and Cheese Honeycomb Pasta
  1. Spread about 3/4 cup of cheese bechamel over bottom of prepared baking tin to cover.
  2. Add remaining bechamel into bowl with pasta and mix to combine.
  3. It’s “puzzle time” – Individually stand pasta pieces upright in tin starting from the edge. You may not need all of the pasta.
  4. Once pasta has been gently packed into tin, pour cheese béchamel that remains in the bottom of the mixing bowl evenly over spread it around so it flows into the pasta pieces.
  5. Place on an oven tray and sprinkle with remaining shredded gruyere and parmigiano cheeses.
  6. Bake in a preheated 200C oven for 30 minutes or until top is golden and bubbling.
  7. Remove from oven and let stand for at least 10 minutes to set cheese sauce and pasta before releasing from springform pan.
  8. Serve immediately accompanied by a salad (see Tip)!
Buon appetito!
TIP:

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