Baked Macaroni and Cheese

A favorite recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks (see below.)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 6-8 ( This made way more  like 10 rich servings)

Topping:

4 slices white sandwich bread torn into quarters

2 T unsalted butter melted

Mac & Cheese:

salt

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 med garlic clove minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

6 T all purpose flour

1 3/4 cups low sodiem chicken broth

3 1/2 cups whole milk

16 ounces colby cheese shredded about 5 1/3 cups

8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded about 2 2/3 cups

Ground black pepper

1. For the topping: Process the bread and butter in a food processoor fitted with a steel blade until coarsley ground, about 6 1 second pulses. Set aside.

2. For the Mac & Cheese: Adjust oven rack to middle and heat oven to 400. Boil 4 quarts water in a dutch oven over high heat,. Stir in 1 T salt and macaroni. Cook til al dente about 5 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander, set aside.

3. Wipe pot dry. Add butter and return to medium heat until melted. Add the garlic, mustard and cayenne pepper: cook until fragrent about 30 seconds. Add the flour nad cook, stirring constantly until golden brouwn about 1 minute. SLowly whish in chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook. whisking often, until large bubbles form on the surface and the mixture is slightly thickened about 5-8 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the cheeses gradually until completely melted. Season w/ salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir. Pour into a 9 X 13 baking dish or shallow casserole of similar size. Sprinkle with bread topping and bake until golden brown and bubbling around the edges. 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Planning ahead: Assemble casserole as directed in step 4 but do not sprinkle with bread topping or bake. Wrap dish tightly.- Refriderate for up to 3 days or freeze for 2 months.

Allow casserole to sit at room temp for 1 hour before baking. Wrap dish with foil and bake until casserole is moderately hot 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook until 

bread crumbs are brown 25 minutes longer. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Skillet Lasagna

The first episode I ever did.  Still a favorite dish to make!

Skillet Lasagna 

I couldn’t find the mafalda pasta they use.  I did find something called lasagnette at Corti Brothers in Sacramento that worked perfectly.   I’ve also used broken regular lasagna noodles with great success as well.

Taken from Cook's Illustrated's Cover & Bake, p. 238

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, removed from it's casing (I usually can find this at my grocer uncased, and if you are ever in a pinch ground beef with Italian Seasoning tastes good)

1 medium onion, chopped medium

1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped medium

2 medium garlic cloves minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp Ground black pepper

3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained and reserve the juice, and add enough water to measure 2 1/2 cups

1/2 lb. mafalda pasta, broken into 2-inch lengths (I have yet to find this pasta, so I substitute lasagna noodles broken into 2-inch pieces or campanella which are curly pasta noodles)

4 ounces shredded mozzarella (about 1 1/3 cup)

8 ounces ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)

3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (I usually sprinkle dried basil over the top)

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, and cook until it loses its raw color bust has not browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.

2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; cook until the bell pepper begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, and pasta; bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the mozzarella, and sausage. Dot with heaping tablespoons of ricotta, cover and let stand off the heat for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with basil, then serve.