MACARONI & CHEESE

Serves 4

The first incarnation of this infamous side contained only one cheese. It wasn’t long before we started tweaking and adapting – a bit of mustard here, a different noodle there. We’ve redone this macaroni and cheese dozens (and dozens) of times. The result is a blend of five local NYC cheeses, a sprinkle of nutmeg here and some salt and white pepper there.

Cheese Sauce

  • 1/3 cup Plain Flour                                       
  • 1/3 cup Unsalted Butter                                
  • 2.8 oz Brianne, shredded                                               
  • 2.8 oz Chefs Shred, shredded                                          
  • 2.8 oz Bayley Hazen Blue, shredded 
  • 1.4 oz Mozzarella, diced                           
  • 2 cups Whole Milk                         
  • ½ teaspoon Nutmeg                                                   
  • ½ teaspoon White Pepper                                        
  • 2 teaspoons Sea salt         

Preparation 

  1. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour into a smooth pale roux. Cook out the roux for at least 5 mins moving regularly.
  2. Heat the milk to a foamy boil.
  3. While whisking the roux slowly ladle the hot milk into it until it has fully incorporated before the next ladle is added.
  4. After all the milk has been mixed, continue to whisk the milk for5/10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
  5. Slowly add the grated Bailey Hazen Blue, Brianna, and the Chef Shred and stir till smooth and completely melted. 
  6. Once melted and smooth remove from the heat to prevent the sauce from splitting.
  7. Season the finished sauce with the salt, ground white pepper and nutmeg. 
  8. Reserve until needed. 

Tubetti Pasta

  • 8 Quarts Water                                             
  • 1/2 cup Salt                                                    
  • 2 cups Tubetti Pasta                                    
  1. In a large pan bring 8 quarts of salted water to the boil.
  2. Once the water is boiling add the pasta to the water and stir occasionally. Cook for approximately 9 minutes or until the pasta is slightly al dente.
  3. Drain pasta from the pasta water and cool.

Parmesan Panko 

  • 3 oz Parmesan grated on a microplane  
  • 3 oz Panko Breadcrumbs 

    Mix together and reserve.

Preparation

  1. Mix the cooked pasta with the cheese sauce and warm through.
  2. When warm, fold in the diced mozzarella and place the mixture into its serving dish. Top with the Parmesan Panko mixture.
  3. Bake for 4-5 minutes until the top is golden brown but the sauce has not dried out or spilled over the edge.

Categories: Food

Tags: recipe