After eating this macaroni and cheese you will never go back to the stuff in the blue box. It is great when you are a kid, but when you are an adult ? Really? It is time to step up the sophistication. This is a recipe that my mom adapted from one of the greatest southern cooks ever, Edna Lewis.
You will need
1 3/4 cups gobbetti pasta (or any noodle shape you prefer)
Salt
2 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese (cubed)
2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon all- purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs that are lightly beaten
1/3 cup grated onion
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
To get this:
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Step 1: Boil the pasta in salted water until tender. Remove and drain. Place the drained pasta into the baking dish of your choice. My mom used a cast iron pan, but you can use a 9x13x2 baking dish or whatever else you like. Mix in the cubed cheddar cheese.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350 F
Step 3: Take the flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl. Stir them together so that everything is evenly mixed together.
Step 4: Add the sour cream, and eggs. With a wire whisk mix all ingredients together until mixture is evenly incorporated.
Step 5: To the mixture, Whisk in the onion, half and half, heavy cream, and Worcestershire until it is thoroughly blended together.
Step 6: Pour this mixture over the pasta and cheese and then stir everything together. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top and then place into the oven.
Step 7: Put in the oven for 30-35 minutes and then let cool for 10 minutes. The cooling is necessary to allow the mac and cheese to set up.
My Thoughts:
This is so so so easy to make. Just a little effort with the cutting / shredding cheese, but that comes with most of the really good mac n’ cheese recipes. The pasta I chose was Medium Shells (Conchiglie), they’re a favorite of mine, especially with cheese! The prep time is about the same amount as the bake time, but this is great if you’ve got an hour or so to kill and you want some comfort food. I’m so glad I found this recipe on pinterest! The taste. It’s perfect. A little extra black pepper on top and you’ll be in heaven. And there will be left overs. Lunch tomorrow. Perfect for a good night in… I will be keeping this recipe, no doubt.
(Pictures are from the site the recipe came from, they’re not mine!)
