212 replies to this topic

[winesonoma]

I'm going to make one of my favorite Mac and Cheese recipes tonight, Greek Pastitio or Pastitsio and was wondering what other's favorite recipes were?

Edit: unsure on spelling

Edited by winesonoma, 02 November 2004 - 03:13 PM.

[Stone]

I use the recipe on Saveur's site. But I use a combo of cheddar, gruyere and parmesan.

[little ms foodie]

Well so far everyone who's had mine says it's awesome. But it's not mine, it's Martha's! Sharp white cheddar and gruyere, noodles, creamy bechemel sauce. YUM!

Edited by little ms foodie, 02 November 2004 - 05:14 PM.

[Marlene]

I used the one from the William Sonoma "American" book last week. Even my husband liked it and he hates mac and cheese.

[Susan G]

I use extra-sharp cheddar in mine, swirled into a bechamel sauce, and baked extra-long to get a golden crust on top. (I'll have no truck with breadcrumb or crushed-potato chip toppings!)

[andiesenji]

There was a previous topic on this subject in which I confessed my use of rather mundale ingredients.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I make something like Alton Brown's recipe but the day after, I love his For Whom the Cheese Melts .. with panko crumbs and all crunchy ...

[irodguy]

There was a previous topic on this subject in which I confessed my use of rather mundale ingredients.

Yep mine is also similar with a few variations. I used Cabot 50% and use smoked paprika.

[ruthcooks]

Mascarpone, Gouda and Monterey Jack, 2 lbs. cheese to 1 lb. macaroni. Very short cook time as so rich it separates easily.

[helenas]

I probably repeat myself but then i'm never tired of pitching Upscale Macaroni

[Toliver]

Previous discussions:
"Cheese and Macaroni, Homemade, gourmet, or Kraft's?"
"Macaroni and cheese, Continued, recipes"

That being said, my niece likes Patti Labelle's "Over the Rainbow Macaroni & Cheese" which is a heart attack waiting to happen that includes 4 kinds of cheese (5, if you count Velveeta ).

[fifi]

There was a previous topic on this subject in which I confessed my use of rather mundale ingredients.

Yes! And I made it. And it was fantastic! Now I have lost it.

[andiesenji]

This is the original post:

I agree with you 100% There are some "convenience" foods that are worth using because they enable you to do other things with more flair.
I often have people ask me for my recipe for Mac 'n Cheese. I unabashadly tell them my "secret".
First I cook the Creamettes brand elbow macaroni, if that is not available then it is Barilla.
It is then cooked aldente, then drained, tossed back in the pot with butter and a can (or two, depending on the amount of macaroni) of Campbell's Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup, undiluted.
Stir, pour in a casserole, sprinkle the top with parmesan or asiago, freshly grated and run under the broiler for a couple of minutes.
It is alway creamy, never gets gummy or hard and tastes good.
If we want spicy it is the Nacho Soup I use.
In the meantime, I have baked bread from scratch, cooked fresh mushrooms, onions, tomato and squash, grilled chops or steaks and prepared a killer dessert.
The mac and cheese takes 15 minutes, tops.

[hillvalley]

I have a friend who makes mac and cheese using the pasta from Easy Mac. But instead of the powdered packet he uses goat cheese and white truffle oil

[Gifted Gourmet]

Isn't it easier to just buy pasta in its own box?? Especially given the other ingredients being used which are so delicate ... and expensive .. just a thought ...

[hillvalley]

Isn't it easier to just buy pasta in its own box?? Especially given the other ingredients being used which are so delicate ... and expensive .. just a thought ...

Absolutely. That's why the easy mac part is so absurd. I make fun of him for this on a regular basis

[Toliver]

There was a previous topic on this subject in which I confessed my use of rather mundale ingredients.

I am the King of eGullet Searches!
andiesenji's recipe for mac & cheese (it should take you to the exact post)

[phifly04]

family recipe for baked mac and cheese
1lb box elbow mac,cooked al dente
11/2 cups milk
1 package philly cream cheese
3/4 lb. pack of extra sharp white cheddar
direction--simmer milk and cream cheese till melted pour in buttered 9x9 bakind dish,top entirely with sliced cheddar bake at 350 for 45 mins till cheese is brown on edges**note-great with baked ham
Enjoy!! Dave s

[eunny jang]

SAGE!

Gruyere, garlic, and SAGE!

I like the breadcrumbed, finished-in-the-oven sort.

with SAGE!

[JAZ]

I make the John Thorne inspired, Cooks Illustrated stovetop version, except that I use Monterey Jack for its melting qualities and aged Gouda for flavor. If I don't have aged Gouda, I use really really sharp cheddar.

If you don't know this version, it calls for evaporated milk. My best ever incarnation of the dish occurred when I used leftover evaporated milk that I'd stored in a jar that previously contained smoked mustard. The milk took on this ethereal subtle smoky flavor from the jar that imbued the whole dish. (I just found some more of the mustard, so I plan to save the jar and try to recreate it.)

Although I have to say that the cut up, rolled in panko, deep fried leftovers that Alton Brown made on his show have me re-thinking the bechamel/custard baked-in-the-oven style, just so I could do that with the leftovers.

[winesonoma]

Well it was a big hit. By the way Pastitsio has a layer of cinnamon flavored meat in the middle.

[David94928]

I'm going to make one of my favorite Mac and Cheese recipes tonight, Greek Pastitio or Pastitsio and was wondering what other's favorite recipes were?

Edit: unsure on spelling

I just made some four cheese pasta this past week.

Fontina, Gorganzola, Pecorino Romano and Parmesan-Reggiano in decending quantity.

Baked for about 15 minutes in the oven to toast the bread crumb topping. YUM!!!


David

[joey madison]

I use a three cheese combination: a bit of 3 year Shelbourne Farms unpasteurized white cheddar, a milder canadian cheddar, and some parm regg. The Shelbourne Farms give the cheese an extra depth of flavor that's really fantastic. I also tend to use rigatoni instead of elbow macaroni, because I think it holds the sauce and cheese better.

[viva]

Well so far everyone who's had mine says it's awesome. But it's not mine, it's Martha's! Sharp white cheddar and gruyere, noodles, creamy bechemel sauce. YUM!

Martha's is the best... ...the ultimate in comfort food. I bake it in a large shallow baking dish & double the breadcrumb topping, so there's plenty of crunch!

Second best is my grandmother's with Velveeta. Served with fried catfish.

I also like the cavatappi noodles instead of elbow... they hold more cheese sauce.

Edited by viva, 04 November 2004 - 12:12 PM.

[NVNVGirl]

I've tried a lot of recipes for mac and cheese trying to find one that's delicious but not ordinary....I think Martha's is excellent! But my very very favorite is one called Macaroni and Cheese with Prosciutto and Taleggio that was in Bon Appetit's How America Eats issue in March of 2002....I'd be happy to send the recipe to anyone who can't find the magazine, since I looked for it over at epicurious and it's not there, unfortunately. I only use half the amount of prosciutto and the cheese, but it's by far the best mac and cheese I"ve ever tasted.


Edited to add: it also used optional truffles and white truffle oil....oh man, I think I'm gonna have to make some this weekend

Edited by NVNVGirl, 04 November 2004 - 02:45 PM.

[lovebenton0]

When going for my standard I like to use a combo of Monty Jack and very sharp cheddar, good bit of the sharp on top. Baked until crusty all around. (My mr will fight me for the crust. ) Half and half or evap milk, both are good, red pepper or black.

But my new favorite variation on the theme is an old German/PA Dutch standard -- German Noodle Ring. Swiss cheese with egg noodles. Bechamel sauce, with tons of Swiss melted in, sometimes a little caraway seed, sauce poured over noodles in a ring or bundt pan (I have a ceramic bundt that is killer for this) baked until solid and crusty around the edges. Then the other half of the sauce is ladled over the unmolded ring. Arranged in the center -- (seared, I prefer adds something to dish) asparagus or other green veg like broccoli spears (peas are also suggested in original recipe, but I haven't tried those).

We have been known to get up to eat this in the middle of the night.

[achevres]

I'm going to make one of my favorite Mac and Cheese recipes tonight, Greek Pastitio or Pastitsio and was wondering what other's favorite recipes were?

Edit: unsure on spelling

I just made pastitsio last week and used my favorite recipe (halved) by James Beard, from his book Beard on Pasta. Well, it's the only recipe for this dish I've ever used, because it's so good I've found no reason to stray.

For American Mac and Cheese, I like the microwave version from Barbara Kafka's Microwave Gourmet. The sauce is ready before the pasta (Barilla elbows, with the ridges) is cooked. It's homemade, easy and so good.

My 12-year-old daughter loves both these dishes.

[s'kat]

I was almost permanently scarred by a bad run-in with the old-school, blue box Mac n'Cheese during my childhood, and have never touched the stuff since. When I saw this thread, I instantly thought of how much my husband would appreciate a big, heaping bowl of the homemade stuff, especially after a long day spent working hard in the chilly Autumnal air.

I used little miss foodie's suggestion of Martha Stewart's recipe. So easy. So, so good! I especially loved the little crispy bits of browned breadcrumbs on top... next time, I may add a little crumbled bacon to that top layer.

Excellent thread.

[little ms foodie]

I was almost permanently scarred by a bad run-in with the old-school, blue box Mac n'Cheese during my childhood, and have never touched the stuff since.  When I saw this thread, I instantly thought of how much my husband would appreciate a big, heaping bowl of the homemade stuff, especially after a long day spent working hard in the chilly Autumnal air.

I used little miss foodie's suggestion of Martha Stewart's recipe.  So easy.  So, so good!  I especially loved the little crispy bits of browned breadcrumbs on top... next time, I may add a little crumbled bacon to that top layer. 

Excellent thread.

s'kat, this was also the first mac n cheese I made since a childhood run in also! Martha to the resue! haha!

Glad it turned out so well

[bleachboy]

Just mentioned it on another thread, but the Mac 'n' Cheese in Cooks Illustrated a few months ago is by far the best I've ever tasted -- my wife agrees, and she's a Mac 'n' Cheese fanatic (in the South, M&C is considered a "vegetable").

You basically just make a bechamel, then stir in one pound sharp cheddar and one pound monterey jack until it melts, then add one pound cooked elbow macaroni and some cayenne pepper and seasonings to taste.

It's very convenient, since when I make it I buy the one-pound bags of preshredded Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar from the grocery store. Yeah, not very "eGullet" but it works fine.

Optional are the buttered breadcrumb topping (and subsequent broiling to crisp), parmesan on top, or any sort of truffle flavoring which is the true apotheosis of this dish. I made some last week with about $20 worth of white truffles and it was freaking unbelievable. Sean Brock at Capitol Grille here in Nashville also uses truffles. Yummmm.