The quintessential comfort dish of mac and cheese gets trendy. Combining cheddar cheese with Monterey Jack, leeks, prosciutto and peas elevates this mac and cheese into a sophisticated dish.

Mac and cheese might be the most comforting comfort food ever devised. It has all the attributes of feel-good food: cheesy, creamy and familiar. And it never seems to go out of style.

Many restaurants are making upscale versions adding lobster, truffles or other exotic ingredients. At a new restaurant in downtown Los Angeles called Mac and Cheeza, diners can add sausage, tomatoes, olives or nuts to their dish. And for those who don't eat dairy, the restaurant will whip up mac and soy cheese.

Mac and Cheeza would do well to add the following recipe to its repertoire. Combining Cheddar cheese with peppery Monterey Jack and a touch of Parmesan makes this mac and cheese sophisticated — a far cry from the "blue box" variety. Because I often make pasta with pesto, peas and prosciutto, I added those ingredients as well. The caramelized leeks elevate the dish to a new level, along with the crispy cheese and breadcrumb topping.


Tips

Advance preparation: This may be made up to two days ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before reheating in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. You may need to cover with foil so it does not burn.
  •  Use Italian penne or fusilli instead of elbow macaroni.
  •  Substitute blue cheese for the Pepper Jack cheese.
  •  Substitute mortadella or speck for the prosciutto.

Three-cheese macaroni with leeks, prosciutto and peas

Prep: 35 minutes 

Cook: 1 hour 

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:
  •  3 tablespoons olive oil
  •  6 leeks, light green and white parts, cleaned, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  •  Freshly ground pepper
  • 3/4 pound dried elbow macaroni
  •  1 cup frozen baby peas
  • 1/4 pound sliced prosciutto, finely chopped
  •  Sauce:
  •  3 tablespoons each: unsalted butter, flour
  •  3 cups milk, warmed
  •  2 cups shredded each: Pepper Jack cheese, sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  •  1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon each: salt, white pepper

Topping:
  • 1/2 cup panko or other bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  •  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
Steps:
  1. 1 Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in large non-aluminum skillet on medium-high heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Stir in the macaroni; cook until slightly soft to the bite, 7 minutes. Drain. Place in bowl with leeks; toss. Add peas and prosciutto; toss.
  2. 2 For sauce, melt the 3 tablespoons butter in the large skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter; whisk to mix well. Cook, stirring, until the flour is absorbed and the mixture is bubbling, about 2 minutes. Stir in the milk gradually; heat to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the white sauce is smooth and thickened, 3-4 minutes. Add the cheeses. Remove from the heat; whisk constantly until the cheese is completely melted. Stir in the mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over the macaroni leek mixture; mix to combine.
  3. 3 Place a greased 8-inch-square baking pan on a baking sheet. Transfer the macaroni mixture to the pan. For the topping, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni. Dot with the butter; bake uncovered, until the top browns and begins to form a crust, 35-40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition information: Per serving: 908 calories, 48% of calories from fat, 49 g fat, 26 g saturated fat, 130 mg cholesterol, 75 g carbohydrates, 43 g protein, 1,491 mg sodium, 6 g fiber.