Coquillettes au Jambon - French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

Proper homestyle cookery right there, simple and comforting. A regular at our dinner table, j’adore!

Nagi's Notes

I wouldn’t serve up my Baked Mac and Cheese and call it dinner. I know it looks like any regular béchamel, but it’s not – it’s thinner, nearly like a light cream sauce, rather than the rich cheese sauces we’re used to.

Such a simple little thing but it changes everything – little pops of salty flavour, and it gently flavours the whole sauce.

French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham (Coquillettes au Jambon)

If you’ve spent a bit of time in France, you’ll know this one.

Coquillettes au Jambon is the French way of doing mac & cheese. The kind of dish that shows up at the family table without effort, just a big pot in the middle and everyone helping themselves. It was always a winner at our house.

Unlike the Western-style mac and cheese that’s richer with a thicker sauce, this one is a bit different. The sauce here is more delicate, but still full of taste.

It starts with a béchamel quickly turned into a Mornay (yes! just like my Cheese Soufflé) thanks to the Gruyère and its subtle nuttiness, plus some ham to make more substantial. Very comforting without being too rich.

You will go back for another bowl and still feel good after!

Ingredients in French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

Everything you need to give mac & cheese a bit of style. - Pasta – The classic pasta is elbow pasta or macaroni, though you can use any short pasta shape you want that will hold onto the sauce.

- Gruyere cheese – Gruyère is my first choice here for its savour, but there’s room to adapt. Comté is the closest alternative if you can find it, though it can be a bit pricey.

Otherwise, Swiss-style cheeses like Emmental work really well. If those aren’t available, go for a good melting cheese such as Cheddar, Tasty or Monterey Jack.

If you’re using a milder cheese, add a small handful of finely grated parmesan at the end to boost the flavour and bring back some of that nutty note you’d usually get from Gruyère. - Ham – Here I just use ham off the bone slices from the deli then chop it up.

You can as well go for smoked ham to bring a deeper savour, or use leftover roast ham if you have some on hand. - Butter and flour – These make the roux which thickens the milk to become the béchamel sauce and then the Mornay. - Milk – It’s best to use full fat if you can, though you can really use any type.

I use HOT milk as it helps it blend smoothly into the roux, preventing lumps and keeping the sauce silky. - Nutmeg – A little pinch is included in classic Béchamel, but it’s ok if you skip it. Freshly grated is best for best savour that really lifts the sauce but pre-ground works fine too.

How to make French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

I always cook the pasta first then make the sauce in the same pot afterwards, then combine them together.

But if you want to speed things up, you could cook them in separate pots at the same time. - Cook the pasta in salted boiling water.

- Save water – Just before drawing, scoop out 1 cup (or more!) of the pasta preparation water and set aside. Then drain and lightly rinse the pasta under tap water to prevent it from clumping while you make the sauce. - Roux – Melt the butter in the used pot over medium heat.

Then add the flour and stir, it will look thick and pasty at first. Whisk regularly for about 2 minutes until it becomes loose. Make sure to scrape into the corners of the pan and don’t let it brown.

Reduce heat if you think it’s too high. - Bechamel sauce – Add half of the hot milk to the roux while whisking vigorously, it will thicken very quickly.

Once smooth, slowly pour in the remaining milk while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the sauce is smooth, with no lumps. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.

- Add cheese and stir until melted. Keep the pot on the stove but whisk well to make sure the base is not catching.

You just made a Mornay Sauce! - Add ham and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cookery water.

Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until combined and silky. - Add pasta – Bring the sauce to a simmer and add pasta back to the pot. and stir until they are fully coated. - Combine and serve – Stir until the pasta are fully coated.

Serve right away while hot.

How to serve French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

Serve straight away while it’s hot and creamy, that’s when it really shines.

It’s rich enough to stand on its own, but if you like, you can balance it with something fresh on the side. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette works perfectly, or lightly dressed greens with a squeeze of lemon.

For something a bit more substantial, add broccoli, green beans or you can even stir through a handful of peas at the end. And a piece of crusty bread on the side is always a good idea to mop up every last bit of that sauce. And there you have it, a simple bowl of comfort, satisfying and hard to beat to my opinion.

Grab a fork (or a spoon!), dig in and enjoy!

FAQ – Coquillettes au Jambon

This dish relies heavily on dairy for both taste and texture, so it’s not the easiest to convert. That said, you can try using lactose-free or plant-based butter, milk and cheese alternatives.

Just keep in mind the result won’t be quite as rich or smooth, and some dairy-free cheeses don’t melt as well, which can affect the sauce. Use your favourite gluten-free pasta and replace the flour in the roux with a gluten-free plain flour.

The method stays the same—just whisk well to keep the sauce smooth It’s best made and served straight away.

The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits, making it thicker and less creamy. If you really want to make it ahead, you can reheat it gently with a splash of milk or saved pasta water to loosen it.

Coquillettes / elbow pasta or macaroni are the classic choice, but any similar pasta shapes that holds onto the sauce will work well here.

Coquillettes au Jambon – French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

- 500g / 1 lb elbow pasta / macaroni , but any similar size pasta would work

- 1 tsp preparation salt / kosher salt , for pasta water, half for table salt - 200g / 7 oz ham slices (I use ham off-the-bone), diced 1cm / 0.4" (Note 1)

CHEESE SAUCE (MORNAY SAUCE)

- 75g / 5tbsp tbsp unsalted butter - 1/2 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour

- 3 cups milk , HOT, full fat preferred, but work with lite milk too - 1 tsp preparation salt / kosher salt , halve for table salt, +50% for flakes

- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg , (Note 2) - 1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated , shredded using a standard box grater (tightly packed if using cups) (Note 3)

- 1/2 cup pasta cookery water - Cook pasta per packet directions, scoop out 1 cup of water just before draining.

In the same pot, melt butter, cook flour 2 min. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg, stir in cheese until melted. Stir in ham, then 1/2 cup pasta cookery water.

Toss with pasta until coated, serve. - Cook pasta – Bring a large pot of water and salt to the boil.

Cook pasta going to packet instructions. I always like to give a few stirs at the beginning so they don't stick to each other.

- Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and give the pasta brief rinse under cold water. Set aside and keep the pot for the sauce.

CHEESE SAUCE / MORNAY SAUCE

- Make roux – Using the pasta pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes.

At first it will look like thick and pasty then it will loosen to become a smooth, glossy paste. Make sure to use the whisk to get into the corners of the pot and don’t let it brown, reduce heat if needed.

- Adding milk – Add half of the hot milk to the roux while whisking vigorously, it will thicken very quickly. Once smooth, slowly pour in the remaining milk while continuing to whisk.

Keep whisking for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the sauce is smooth, with no lumps. It should be thick enough that you can draw a path with a spatula through the middle, holding its shape briefly before slowly sinking back. (Note 4) - Season – Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.

- Add cheese and ham – Stir in Gruyère cheese and whisk until fully melted. You just made a Mornay sauce!

Then stir in the ham with a wooden spoon. - Finish sauce – Pour in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta preparation water and stir until silky. It will be quite runny, it will thicken when the pasta is added.

- Combine – Add drained pasta and stir well until fully coated, the sauce will thicken slightly and cling to the macaroni. Add more pasta water if the sauce gets too thick. - Serve immediately while hot and creamy.

I like to grind extra black pepper on top just before eating.

In Memory of Dozer

Dozer and me at a bookstore, not long after the release of Nagi’s first cookbook. We’re both looking pretty pleased with ourselves. 😂 He insisted on coming along to check how he looked in that prawn photo… had to make sure he was looking his best, obviously! ♥️🦮