By Michael Minorgan for Curtains Up
www.globalgourmets.ca michael@globalgourmets.ca
Macaroni and Cheese (Mac N’ Cheese)
It is one of my (and everyone’s I’m sure) all time favourite comfort foods.
According to Wikipedia, our on line encyclopaedia of knowledge, details of the lineage of this dish go all the way back to the 14th century, with the first modern day recipe appearing in “The Experienced English Housekeeper” by Elizabeth Raffald in 1769. It has had numerous incarnations since, under the famous Mrs Beeton and even Thomas Jefferson who encountered it in both Paris and Northern Italy. He was so enamoured with the dish, that in 1793 he commissioned the then ambassador to Paris to purchase a machine to make the macaroni pasta.
In spite of its fabled culinary history I still fondly remember my mother breaking the seal on the ubiquitous yet iconic box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and lovingly preparing it for my supper on many memorable occasions.
I cringe at the thought today as my taste buds have matured and taken on a much more gentrified and sometimes more adventurous approach to this delightful ‘meal in a box’. Mac n’ Cheese has been adapted to many cuisines representing countless countries stretching all over our culinary globe. To the chagrin of the traditionalists, it can be made with many different ingredients, among many others, a variety of different cheeses, a mix of vegetables and even an over the top luxurious version with fresh lobster meat.
This recipe has the wonderful addition sweet roasted tomatoes adding a distinct sweet, savoury and summery addition. So put away that Velveeta and give this one a shot…..Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package macaroni or other tubular paste, cooked
4 pounds tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup sweet basil leaves, chopped
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
4½ cups warm milk
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, freshly grated
½ cup sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, + extra when serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Fire-roasted tomatoes:
Roast tomatoes tossed with some olive oil under the grill Remove and discard the skin and coarsely chop.
Making the tomato sauce:
Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan. Add the remaining garlic and cook until golden. Transfer to a plate. Add half the onion and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the onion from burning, until the color is evenly golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Add more oil if necessary. Add the rest of the tomatoes. Season with salt and red chili flakes. Add the onion, garlic and tomato paste. Lower the heat and let the flavors blend, stirring frequently. Add basil. Cover and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Discard any visible tomato skin.
For the pasta: Cook according to package instructions. When the pasta is cooked (cooked inside and out but still in shape and firm), reserve about ⅓ cup to ½ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta (do NOT rinse) into a large colander.
For the béchamel sauce:
In a saucepan, melt 8 tablespoons of butter over medium-low; you don’t want the butter to burn. Bring the heat back up to medium-high (the butter should be hot and golden) and add the flour. Keep stirring manually with a whisk for approximately 3 minutes. The flour should absorb the butter and form a paste. Stir well until incorporated and add the milk in 3 stages. Increase the heat while constantly stirring for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off. Add the cheeses (except Parmesan cheese and ½ cup mozzarella cheese). Mix well. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Let the sauce rest until it’s time to assemble the dish.
Assembly time:
When you’re ready to assemble, add the chopped fire-toasted tomatoes to the sauce.
In a large non-stick pan, heat some olive oil. Add the remaining onion and cook until golden and fragrant. Add the cooked pasta and toss for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the béchamel sauce. Mix until the pasta is well coated.
Grease a large baking dish with the remaining butter. Pour the tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish. Fill with pasta. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. Dot with little pieces of butter.
Place in the oven for at least 10 minutes (until golden crispy brown) and broil for about 2-3 minutes to get a nice golden crust if necessary.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes.
