Baked Macaroni and Cheese

It’s been unseasonably cold, snowing and blowing here; and when it’s unseasonably cold in these parts, it’s chilly, willy cold. After a morning of shoveling the twinkling white dust of early snow; cheeks red with the crisp kiss of clear Winter air; feeling refreshed and energized, a body can do with a steaming plate of comfort food. Macaroni and cheese is a great choice.

Though the cheesy sauce over pasta version seems classier, on a cold Winter day I prefer a good, baked macaroni and cheese. This is the meal my mom made, and she made the best mac and cheese I know. Mine comes in second.

Baked macaroni and cheese comes together as easily as pie. Well, easier than pie. Pie takes more effort but you know what I mean.

Ingredients:
A pound of macaroni
¾ pound of cheese
1 cup of milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Pick a pasta. Any of the tubed pastas will do. Sometimes the tiny elbows fit the bill, other times a larger noodle, like penne seems right. Whichever you choose:

Cook a pound of macaroni

While the macaroni cooks, grate some cheese. For a one-cheese mac and cheese, I like young colby better than any other cheese. Of course, you have to go with your own tastes and available varieties. Young or mild cheddar also works well as does jack cheese. Mozzarella can be too stringy and the sharp, older cheeses loose the sharpness you paid for when baked this way. Stick with the milder cheeses and you will do better.

Grate a bunch of cheese. A half to three-quarters pound will do.

When the pasta is al dente or more done, drain it in a colander. When you’ve drained it well, put it back in the pan you used to cook it. The heat from the pan will help dry it. (If you practice the ‘guy’ method of the-fewer-dishes-the-better, you might want to cook the pasta in an oven safe stock pot and use the same pot to bake the mac and cheese)

In a deep casserole dish, or an oven safe stock pot, spoon a layer of macaroni. Over the macaroni, sprinkle a layer of grated cheese. Over the cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Then repeat. For a pound of macaroni, I usually get three layers ending with a layer of cheese.

When all the macaroni and cheese is layered in the baking dish, pour about 1 cup of milk over the entire surface. Then cover and pop your macaroni and cheese into a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the cover and let it bake for another 10 minutes. That’s it. Hot, great mac and cheese for lunch on a chilly Winter day.

For variety and spice, you can add interesting flavors to each layer. Carmelized onions, hot sauce and garlic are favorites in our house. Enjoy.

copyright 2005 Chromia Poetics