Mac & Cheese please!

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Who does not love the great Mac n’ Cheese?!

If the fussiest eaters go for this one, then you too will surely love it. This is the most delicious one of the ‘safe options’ variety! A cheesy dish that is sure to warm your hearts and comfort your souls. This is comfort food at its best.

If you are into mild cheese flavours, use a mild cheddar cheese. If you like your cheese and prefer it sharp, then go for aged cheddars or better still go for blue cheese. Do push that envelope and take this dish to the next level. Go for the gourmet side of things experiment with a different variety of cheeses, makes, countries, artisans and go wild with cheese, for instance why not think smoked cheeses. Since we are changing around, why not try to make this in mini cocktail bites? Yes why not, it would be fun to serve your guests something familiar where least expected (watch the video below, for how to do that).

This dish is very easy to make and the best thing about it is that it’s open for your creativity. Really, the sky is the limit! The recipe here is the classic and very open for your interpretations.

Ingredients

Serves: 4
  • 250 g either dried Rigatone, manicotti, or maccheroni (otherwise known as macaroni or elbow pasta)
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 1/2 cups light cream
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded strong cheddar cheese
  • 1 cups shredded American cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Black Pepper to taste
  • a pinch nutmeg
  • a pinch garlic powder
  • a handful parsley, chopped
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs (recipe on this link)

Cook the pasta until Al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, start with the cheese sauce by making a roux:

In a saucepan, cook the onion in hot butter until tender but not browned. Stir in the flour, powdered garlic and pepper. Add the milk at once and keep stirring over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add the nutmeg, and stir, then add the cheeses and stir until they are melted. Add the drained cooked pasta over the cheese sauce and mix to coat.

Transfer the macaroni and cheese into a casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs.

Bake uncovered in a 350F-180C oven for  25 mins.

Allow the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley right before serving.

If you do not wish to bake the Mac n’ Cheese, then prepare in the same way, except, immediately after draining the macaroni return it to its empty pan and pour cheese sauce over it and mix to coat. Then cook stirring for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. sprinkle tops with chopped parsley.

Serve warm!

I have always thought about the foods that we categorise as comfort foods. What makes a food more comforting than the other? Is it the temperature of the food, the texture, the aroma, or the association with memory? What to you resembles comfort food?

 

More recipes with cheese on these links

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