Magical Mac and Cheese from The Careless Cook

 

Magical Mac and Cheese from The Careless Cook

 

All too often, I pass on Mac and Cheese because so many times it’s sensationally blah.  Of course I make great exception for your mom’s mac and cheese, which is always blended with lovely memories, which overshadow those times she made you eat broccoli and boiled cauliflower. 

 

My mother did not make Mac and Cheese, but she did like me very much.  She liked my brother a lot also, which I could never understand.

 

But, I have good news for you from the Mac and Cheese front.  I have a recipe for absolutely Magical Mac and Cheese.  And I’m happy to say it does not use vegan rubberized non-cheese, or gluten free macaroni, both of which are outlawed in many parts of the civilized world.  But, yes, I do have vegan friends, who always smell faintly of broccoli and boiled cauliflower.  Oh, come on you Veganites!  You can take a joke if you put your mind to it!

 

Magical Mac and Cheese

 

Ingredients

 

16 oz package of macaroni (I used Ronzoni, Large Elbows)

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (I’ve yet to meet an extra virgin, but surely…)

6 tablespoons butter

1/3 Cup flour

3 cups milk (I used whole milk)

1 cup heavy cream

4 cups sharp cheddar, shredded (I shred my own)

2 cups baby Swiss cheese, shredded or chopped (some recipes call for Gruyere, but it’s expensive and to me the baby Swiss tastes almost exactly the same.  If you disagree, I suggest you have that second glass of wine and taste again.)

salt and pepper to taste (Be gentle with the salt. I use salted butter and the cheese also has salt.)

6 slices of bacon, chopped and fried to a crisp

½ large sweet onion, diced and cooked until translucent

¾ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped finely

 

For the Topping

1 ½ cups panko crumbs

½ cup shredded Parmesan

4 tablespoons of melted butter

¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika (opitional)

 

The Set Up:  

heat oven to 350ºF or 180ºC

Grease a 3-4 quart baking dish

 

Puttin’ It Together

 

Put the  Swiss and cheddar cheeses in a bowl and set aside

 

Cook the pasta as directed on the package, but a minute or two short of al dente.  Remember, you’re going to add milk and cheese and if you cook the pasta too long it’s going to be soggy after the additions.  

 

Remove the pasta and drain, reserving one cup of pasta water.  Place the pasta in a bowl, allow the pasta to cool and slosh it with a bit of olive oil.  Be very careful of all those extra virgins.

 

In a stock pot or large saucepan, on medium heat,  melt the butter, whisk in the flour and keep whisking until you see those tiny bubbles on the edges of the pot/pan, then whisk for another two minutes.

 

Add two cups of cheese to the pan and whisk until smooth, add the rest of the cheese in portions and whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Add the milk and cream and stir well.

 

Add the sundried tomato bits, bacon, and onion and stir vigorously until well blended. 

 

Stir in the pasta until it’s well coated with the cheese sauce.

 

Pour the Mac and Cheese mixture into the greased baking dish.

Time to Make the Topping

 

Add all topping ingredients to a bowl and mix well.  Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the Mac and Cheese.

 

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned.

 

NOTE:  All ovens are different.  You may need slightly more or less baking time and if your oven heats unevenly, you will need to rotate the baking dish as needed.

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Stroud all over