Red Hawk Macaroni with Prosciutto and Raspberry Jam
Red Hawk, perhaps the most popular cheese made by California’s Cowgirl Creamery, is a mellow and complex washed-rind cheese. While it deserves its moment in the spotlight, it doesn’t fare well with complicated pairings; rather, this triple-cream appreciates a modest presentation that allows its pungent, meaty notes to speak for themselves. For this macaroni and cheese dish, we decided to let Red Hawk’s heartiness take center stage, accompanied by only a bit of salty prosciutto and a touch of tart jam. You’ll be surprised how these two ingredients accentuate what makes Red Hawk so beloved—an understated intensity that puts it at the top of many cheese lovers’ top 10 lists. Serves 4.
Course Entree
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 35minutes
Total Time 45minutes
Servings 4
Calories 11536kcal
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
8ouncesuncooked elbow macaroni
1full wheel (about 9 ounces)Red Hawkrind intact, chopped into chunks
4thin slicesprosciuttochopped
1teaspoonsea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2cupsheavy cream
4tablespoonsraspberry jam(plus more per your indulgence)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain through a colander and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix pasta, cheese, and prosciutto. Sprinkle with salt and a few good turns of the pepper grinder. Toss until well combined.
Lightly oil four 8-ounce ramekins and fill them with equal amounts of the pasta, cheese, and prosciutto mixture. Add a scant 1/2 cup of cream to each ramekin.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place your ramekins onto the sheet. Slide into oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the cream has thickened into a nice gratin. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes. The cheese is supposed to bubble over the edges of the ramekins—that’s part of the charm of this dish. And it’s why you lined the baking sheet with foil.
Top each ramekin with 1 tablespoon raspberry jam before serving. Add more spoonfuls of jammy goodness if you see fit.