Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese























Macaroni and cheese, also called 'Mac n Cheese' is a popular dish in America consisting of cooked pasta and cheese and thickened with a white sauce. Absolutely easy to make with basic ingredients, you just need to spare a few minutes to whip this delicious "Mac n Cheese'. The gooey insides and warm crusty top with Italian flavorings reminded me of Pizza in every bite.No wonder it is a soothing comfort food for many. You can tweak this basic recipe according to your preference and make healthier variations and enjoy this as anytime meal. Off to the recipe!

Preparation time : 5mins
Cooking + Baking time : 40-45 mins
Serves : 6


Ingredients:

Macaroni - 2cups
Butter - 2tblsp
All-purpose flour - 4tblsp
Milk - 2cups
Salt - As needed
Chilli flakes - 2tsp
Italian seasoning - 2tsp
Mozzarella cheese - 1/2cup, grated
Cheddar cheese - 1/2cup, grated
Parmesan cheese - 2tblsp, grated 
Bread crumbs - 3/4cups
     
Method:
1.  Cook pasta according to package instructions, but undercook by 3-4mins less. This is one secret to a perfect recipe, as the pasta continues to cook, absorbing the sauce while get baked and turns perfectly al dente. Drain it and rinse with cold water and set aside.

2.  Preheat oven to 180C / 375F. Start by melting the butter in a saucepan. When it melts, stir in equal amount of flour.(Equal here means by weight, not volume. Hence, 1tblsp butter equals 2tblsp flour) Reduce the flame to medium-low and cook for 2-3mins until the raw flour taste is gone. You'll see a thick paste is formed, which is called 'Roux'.

           

3.  Slowly pour milk and continue to stir until the mixture thickens. DO NOT stop whisking as it turns lumpy otherwise. Add salt, chilli flakes and Italian seasoning to this.

4.  Turn off the heat and toss in the cheeses. The heat from the milk is just enough to melt the cheese. 

          

5.  Gently stir in cooked Macaroni into the cheese sauce.

          

6.  Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, top it with generous amount of bread crumbs and bake until nicely browned on top, about 30-35mins.

          

7.  Serve warm for an amazing treat.

Sending this to Sangee's event Learn2Bake.


Notes:

1.  For a healthier version, replace with low-fat milk and further cut down the cheese portions by half.

2.  Its alright if you don't have all the cheeses on hand. Just combine any 2 two types.

3.  Do try adding corn, broccoli, coloured capsicums or any other veggies of your choice to pack on the nutrients.

4.  To prevent the sauce from becoming grainy, make sure you add cheese after turning off the heat.



1 comment :

  1. Wat a delicious,droolworthy and mouthwatering baked mac n cheese, seriously hard to resist.

    ReplyDelete