Mark Bittman's Macaroni and Cheese
- Minutes to Prepare:
- Minutes to Cook:
- Number of Servings: 6
Ingredients
Salt21/2 cups milk (low-fat is fine)2 bay leaves1 pound elbow, shell, ziti, or other cut pasta4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter3 tablespoons all-purpose flour11/2 cups grated cheese, like sharp cheddar or Emmental1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheeseFreshly ground black pepper1/2 cup or more bread crumbs, preferably fresh(I add sauteed red pepper -- 1/2 pepper -- and about 2/3 cup sauteed onion.)
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
2. Cook the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand.
3. Cook the pasta to the point where it is almost done but you would still think it needed another minute or two to become tender. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop the cooking, and put it in a large bowl.
4. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter; when it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring with a wire whisk all the while. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheddar and stir.
5. Pour the sauce over the noodles, toss in the Parmesan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9 x 13-inch or similar-size baking pan and turn the pasta mixture into it. Top liberally with bread crumbs and bake until bubbling and the crumbs turn brown, about 15 minutes. Serve piping hot.
Number of Servings: 6
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LINDSAYC77.
2. Cook the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand.
3. Cook the pasta to the point where it is almost done but you would still think it needed another minute or two to become tender. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop the cooking, and put it in a large bowl.
4. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter; when it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring with a wire whisk all the while. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheddar and stir.
5. Pour the sauce over the noodles, toss in the Parmesan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9 x 13-inch or similar-size baking pan and turn the pasta mixture into it. Top liberally with bread crumbs and bake until bubbling and the crumbs turn brown, about 15 minutes. Serve piping hot.
Number of Servings: 6
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LINDSAYC77.
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 634.1
- Total Fat: 27.4 g
- Cholesterol: 71.5 mg
- Sodium: 417.7 mg
- Total Carbs: 72.2 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3.7 g
- Protein: 25.6 g
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