Baked mac and cheese by Magnus Nordlander
Based on a recipe from Alton Brown
Technically a casserole, mac and cheese is an american classic. Legend has it that it was invented by Thomas Jefferson, and food writer Jeffrey Steingarten describes an 1802 recipe as the "very first recipe ever printed on the back of an american box".
Indeed, it is a true comfort food for many people, and by baking it from scratch, you'll make sure that you get something that's way, way better than the stuff from a box.
Ingredients for 6 servings
- 8 7/8 ounces of elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 1 tablespoon of mustard powder
- 2 7/8 cups of milk
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika powder
- 1 egg
- 12 1/3 ounces of cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- 3 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 7/8 cup of crutons, store-bought, chopped
Instructions
Begin by preheating the oven to 345°F
Cook the macaroni in a big pot of salted water, until it's al dente.
While the macaroni is cooking, make a roux by melting the butter in a smaller pot over medium-low heat. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour, and keep whisking until the roux becomes thinner and more liouidous. Now you can whisk less vigorously for a couple of minutes.
Whisk in the mustard powder, the onion, the paprika powder, and then add the bay leaf. While still whisking, pour in the milk. Crank up the heat, and while whisking, allow the sauce to come to a simmer.
Temper in the egg, by whisking in small amounts of sauce with the egg, until it increases in temperature enough for you to add it to the sauce without it curdling.
Add the cheese (but make sure to save some for the top) to the sauce, and stir it in. Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce, and put it in a casserole. Top it off with the remaining cheese. Mix in the melted butter along with the chopped croutons and top off the casserole with that as well.
Finish in the oven for 30 minutes, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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