I just finished a yummy bowl of miso soup for breakfast. You can feel the brisk coolness of fall this morning. I happen to love miso soup, so do my boys. They love a thermos of it in their lunch boxes. I really think that they love showing off the chunks of seaweed and tofu cut into cute little shapes floating in the mysteriously clowdy broth. This post is not about miso, but another famously comforting dish that is always welcome on our table.
After recently finding out that some members of our family are sensitive to milk products I have learned to adjust the recipes that we love. We still eat Macaroni and Cheese, well it is not really Macaroni since we love chiocciole (snails) the best. Somehow Snails and Cheese doesn’t conger up the same comforting childhood memories.
Here is my recipe, this is not an exact science and works the same no matter what kind of cheese or milk you use. As long as it is real cheese, not velvetta or any of his brothers. I had a neighbor tell me that the only way to make Mac & Cheese was with processed cheese, well I beg to differ. She said that it always turned out greasy or the cheese split. If you use a basic bachemel sauce (fat, flour, milk) it will always work. Use what ever cheese you have on hand. This is a great way to use up little bits of leftover, hardened cheese. I always use a variety, but you can make it with just one kind.
Keep in mind that I never measure when making this, just eye ball it. You can adjust it as you go, add more milk, cheese, your own flavors, etc.
1/2 to 3/4 of a package of your favorite pasta between (250-350g)
3 Tbsp butter or subsitute (I use goat butter or ghee)
3 Tbsp flour
1-1/2 cups milk (I use evaporated goat milk) I don’t suggest fat-free milk, it is not diet food
2 cups of shredded cheese (I use peccorino-romano, chevre, montrachet, P’tit Basque)
freshly ground pepper, to taste
pinch of paprika, optional
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg, optional
optional toppings listed below
Grease a 2 qt baking dish.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. When it comes to a boil, salt the water and add the pasta. Cook until almost tender. Drain.
While the water is boiling, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir over low heat a couple minutes without coloring the flour. Add the milk slowly, whisking constantly until well blended. On low heat, add the shredded cheeses. Stir until melted. Season with freshly ground pepper, paprika and nutmeg if using. Stir to combine.
Add the pasta to the cheese and mix well. Then pour into a greased baking dish. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes to get a little color on top and allow the pasta to finish cooking.
Optional toppings: sliced prosciutto, tomato slices, pea, bread crumbs mixed with a little melted butter for a lovely crisp top.
Occasionally there are some leftovers, I scoop them into little containers and the boys gladly take them to school for lunch. Yesterday I sent some and threw some peas on top and the dishes came back empty. It is also great with whole wheat pasta, just be careful not to over cook it.
