marca

Baked Macaroni And Cheese

\

Here is a good baked mac and cheese recipe for you. I know, this is not a Filipino (originated) recipe but more and more Filipinos are starting to like and love this dish. One evidence is the instant bake mac and cheese being offered in some Philippine stores and supermarkets.

You may use nearly any pasta-tube, corkscrew, or cupshaped ones work best because they grab the sauce-just be sure to slightly undercook whatever pasta you use since it will continue to cook in the oven.

Vary the type of cheese you use too: try blue cheese, goat cheese, smoked Gouda, or even mascarpone for a decadent version.

This recipe makes 4 to 6 servings. The time consumed in making and baking this dish is about 45 minutes.

Baked Macaroni And Cheese Recipe Ingredients:

* Salt
* 2 1/2 cups milk (low-fat is fine)
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 pound elbow, shell, ziti, or other cut pasta
* 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 cups grated cheese, like sharp cheddar or Emmental
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup or more bread crumbs, preferably fresh

Baked Macaroni And Cheese Recipe Baking/Cooking Procedure:

1). Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.

2). Cook the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand.

3). Cook the pasta to the point where it is almost done but you would still think it needed another minute or two to become tender. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop the cooking, and put it in a large bowl.

4). In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter; when it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring with a wire whisk all the while. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheddar and stir.

5). Pour the sauce over the noodles, toss in the Parmesan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9 x 13-inch or similar-size baking pan and turn the pasta mixture into it. Top liberally with bread crumbs and bake until bubbling and the crumbs turn brown, about 15 minutes. Serve piping hot.