Sometimes you just feel like the basics or love the idea of a one pot no fuss dish. My ultra-gooey mac ‘n’ cheese is just the answer (you may need more than one pot though). Use flavourful cheese along with good melting cheese to get it gooey. A lot of households have salt and pepper on the table – in our household hot sauce also makes an appearance if my family suspects a dish looks bland and I hate the thought that my food will get doused in hot sauce for extra flavour. For chilli lovers, I have already incorporated hot English mustard and hot sauce into the recipe.
I have made this with both gluten and gluten free (Barilla) pasta and both are delicious. The gluten free packet is 350g and I didn’t alter the proportions.
My recipe has been adapted from Kenji Lopez Alt’s book “The Food Lab”.
INGREDIENTS
400g elbow macaroni
400ml evaporated milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste
1 tablespoon hot English mustard
300g tasty or vintage cheese, grated
100g Gruyere or similar cheese, cut into small cubes
150g creamy style blue cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon corn starch
75g butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup frozen peas
1 small handful kale or spinach, finely cut
Salt to taste
METHOD
Place the macaroni in a large saucepan and cover it with salted water by 5 centimetres. Bring to a boil over a high heat, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking. Remove from heat and cover the pan. Let stand for about 8 minutes or so until pasta is barely al dente.
Meanwhile, whisk together the evaporated milk, eggs, hot sauce and mustard in a bowl until homogenous. Toss the cheeses with the corn starch in another bowl until thoroughly combined.
When the pasta cooking time is completed, drain and return to saucepan. Place over a low heat, add the butter, and stir until melted. Add the kale and frozen peas, along with milk and cheese mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture is hot and creamy. Taste to check seasoning adding more hot sauce or salt as needed.
Serve immediately. Serves 4 – 6