A family’s recipe for macaroni and cheese, macaroni pie or pie, whichever you prefer to call it should not be messed with. The texture and flavour is their signature and made to suit the taste of the family. However, every now and then it is good to change things up a bit, even if it is at the risk of being told off. Don’t worry though, they will grudgingly polish off the pie and dare to warn you with their mouths full not to try anything new again. Justice is rendered when they sheepishly come to you some time in the future, like on a special occasion or holiday, and ask you to make “that pie” again.
Changing or mixing cheeses is one of the easiest ways to give some variety to your mac and cheese. In this recipe I used smoked Gouda but you can use any other type of smoked cheese available to you. It doesn’t even have to be a smoked variety; any combination of other cheese can work. Havarti, blue cheese, Parmesan can all work. The rule of thumb to remember is that you want cheese that’s creamy, hard, sharp or aged and cheese that melts well.
Adding fresh herbs is another way to enhance the flavour of your pie. This recipe uses a combination of cheese and fresh herbs to make it a truly herby macaroni pie. I promise you, this can easily become the pie that you make often or on special occasions.
(Photo by Cynthia Nelson)
Yield: 1 (9 x 13) pan
INGREDIENTS
● 1 lb. raw macaroni pasta (bucatini long, tubular and hollow in the center)
● Water to cook pasta
● 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra to butter dish
● 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh thyme or fresh oregano
● 1 tablespoon finely minced marjoram
● 2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
● 2 teaspoons grated garlic (paste-like)
● 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
● 3 cups whole milk
● 5 cups grated cheese (2 cups smoked gouda, 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese mixed together)
● Salt & Pepper to taste
● Sliced tomatoes (optional but it adds a nice touch)
DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season water with salt to taste.
2. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9 x 13” baking dish/pan and set aside.
3. Melt butter in saucepan on medium heat. When the butter is melted add the herbs and garlic and mix in with butter, cook for 30 seconds then add flour and stir to mix. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring often; do not let the mixture get brown.
4. Check the pasta and drain well and return to the hot pot in which it was cooked and cover. If you are using a pasta pot with the insert then you will need to pour off the water from the pot itself.
5. Back to the butter and flour mixture. Add the milk and stir until butter-flour mixture is dissolved. Raise the heat a little and bring the pot to a simmer; do not let it boil.
6. Stir constantly until sauce thickens; avoid lumps. The sauce is done when it can coat the back of a spoon and does not rejoin when you run your finger along the spoon.
7. Once thickened, remove the milk mixture from the heat and add in 3 ½ cups of cheese, stirring until it is melted.
8. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (remember the pasta will also be seasoned from cooking in the salted water).
9. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni in the pot and toss thoroughly to coat and mix. Transfer the mixture to the buttered dish and spread evenly.
10. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 ½ cups of cheese and arrange slices of tomatoes on top of the cheese.
11. Bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until the top is bubbly, crusty and golden.
12. Remove from oven and let rest and cool before cutting.
NOTES
● I would suggest placing the dish with the macaroni pie on a foil-lined sheet pan. In case there is any bubbling over, it will spill on the pan and not in the oven itself.
● The longer the macaroni and cheese rests after baking, the easier it is to cut and serve in blocks/large cubes; the cheese sauce solidifies as it rests. However, you can serve it right away but it will not be as firm.
● Elbows and tubular-shaped pasta are ideal; penne works well too.
