Macaroni and Cheese

Submitted by Michelle Maggs

The following recipe is from “Cooking for Comfort” (Simon & Shuster, 2003), the collection of recipes assembled by Marian Burros, acclaimed cookbook writer and columnist for The New York Times. The macaroni and cheese recipe, originally from the Canal House restaurant in New York City’s Soho Grand Hotel, was featured in one of her previous cookbooks. Burros says, “Some things are worth repeating. I never met anyone who ate just one serving.”

Ingredients

1 cup of diced onion
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups of low-fat milk
1 tbsp. of dijon mustard
10 oz. of extra sharp aged white cheddar, grated (plus 2 extra oz. grated set aside)
Salt and ground white pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
8 oz. of cavatappi pasta
2 tbsp. of grated parmigiano-reggiano

Directions

1. Place oven rack in the bottom third of oven and preheat to 400

2. In a large saucepan, cook onion over low heat in the melted butter until onion is soft but not browned (about 5-7 minutes), then stir in flour

3. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk until blended

4. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to thicken

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard and the 10 oz. of cheddar, salt and pepper, nutmeg, and hot pepper sauce

6. Meanwhile, cook the cavatappi according to package directions until just al dente

7. Drain, but do not rinse, then stir immediately into prepared cheese sauce until well-blended

8. Adjust seasonings as needed

9. Spoon mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish and top with remaining 2 oz. of cheddar and the parmigiano-reggiano

10. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until mixture is hot, bubbling, and golden

The finished casserole can be refrigerated before baking. To serve, let the dish return to room temperature and follow directions for baking in oven.

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