Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pasta and Mushrooms
- 450 g mixed wild mushrooms, trimmed and sliced into 0.5 cm pieces
- 20 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 g fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 350 g orecchiette pasta
Mornay Sauce
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic, minced
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 750 ml whole milk, warmed slightly
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 1 g ground nutmeg, freshly grated
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 2 g ground black pepper
- 250 g fontina cheese, shredded
- 125 g sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 40 g parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely grated
Crispy Topping
- 60 g panko breadcrumbs
- 25 g unsalted butter, melted
- 20 g parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely grated
- 5 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 879 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbohydrates
- 72 g
- Fat
- 51 g
- Zinc
- 4.5 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200°C (400°F). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the sliced wild mushrooms on the baking sheet, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and season with fresh thyme leaves, fine sea salt, and black pepper, tossing until evenly coated.
Roast the mushrooms in the preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 18 minutes until tender and deeply caramelized around the edges, then remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature setting to 190°C (375°F).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil over high heat, add the orecchiette, and cook for 9 minutes, or approximately 2 minutes shy of al dente.
Pour the cooked pasta into a colander, drain thoroughly, and set aside without rinsing.
In a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt 50 g of unsalted butter, add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the butter and garlic mixture, whisking continuously for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour starch.
Pour in the whole milk and heavy cream in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously to incorporate the roux smoothly without forming lumps.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon along the bottom of the pan, and simmer for 4 minutes until thickened.
Whisk the Dijon mustard, freshly grated nutmeg, 6 g fine sea salt, and 2 g ground black pepper into the simmering sauce.
Remove the saucepan from the heat source and fold in the shredded fontina, sharp white cheddar, and 40 g of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano in three batches until completely melted and glossy.
Add the drained orecchiette and roasted wild mushrooms to the warm Mornay sauce, folding gently with a wooden spoon until all pasta cups are thoroughly coated.
Transfer the pasta mixture into a lightly buttered 23x33 cm baking dish, leveling the top with a spatula.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, 25 g melted butter, 20 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and chopped parsley, stirring until the crumbs resemble moist sand.
Scatter the seasoned panko mixture evenly across the entire surface of the pasta casserole.
Bake in the center of the oven at 190°C (375°F) for 20 minutes until the edges are bubbling vigorously and the panko topping is deep golden brown.
Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack or heatproof board and let it rest undisturbed for 10 minutes before scooping into bowls.
Chef's Notes
- Roasting wild mushrooms at high heat before adding them to the pasta concentrates their natural glutamates and removes moisture that would otherwise dilute the cheese sauce.
- Orecchiette is exceptionally well-suited to thick cheese sauces; its concave structure traps Mornay sauce and mushroom bits inside each pasta cup.
- Grate all cheeses directly from the block; commercially pre-shredded cheeses are treated with potato starch and cellulose which impede a smooth melt.
- Fontina provides rich, stretchy gooeyness and a subtle earthy sweetness that complements mushrooms, while sharp cheddar provides the essential lactic tang to prevent palate fatigue.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cool leftovers to room temperature within 2 hours of baking, then seal in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Wrap individual baked portions tightly in foil and store inside a heavy-duty freezer bag.
Reheating: Reheat refrigerated or thawed portions covered with foil in an oven preheated to 175°C (350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes, ensuring the internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F) before serving.
Troubleshooting
Cheese sauce turns grainy and leaks yellow oil in the casserole
Cause: The cheese was exposed to excessive heat while boiling on the stove or baked too long at high heat, causing protein coagulation and emulsion separation
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully baked; when reheating portions, stir in 15 ml of warm milk to re-emulsify the sauce texture
Prevention: Always take the saucepan off the burner before adding shredded cheese, and ensure the oven is set no higher than 190°C (375°F)
Pasta turns mushy and loses its structural bite
Cause: The orecchiette was boiled to fully tender before baking, leaving it unable to absorb sauce in the oven without breaking down
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Test the pasta during boiling and drain when the center still displays a firm chalky core, approximately 2 minutes shy of al dente
Casserole appears watery around the mushroom pockets
Cause: Wild mushrooms were crowded on the sheet pan or under-roasted, retaining cellular water that expelled into the sauce during baking
Fix: Rest the casserole for an extra 5 minutes after baking to allow the pasta starches to reabsorb residual moisture
Prevention: Roast mushrooms in an uncrowded single layer until thoroughly caramelized and visibly dry before folding them into the sauce
Cultural Context
While baked macaroni and cheese is an enduring cornerstone of American home-style comfort cuisine, this variation elevates the dish through Northern Italian culinary conventions. By incorporating melting Alpine Fontina cheese and roasted forest mushrooms alongside Apulian little-ear pasta, the recipe transforms a nostalgic classic into an elegant, complex supper.
