I guess I will start this off with one of the only recipes that I cook that I think is really my own. This one is kind of a combination of a number of recipes that all needed something. I actually don't even know if this is the right recipe, cuz I don't think I do it the same every time. Probably something I should figure out before we actually use this.
This dish can be easily adjusted, based on what kind of cheese you like, your favorite pasta shape, and what kind of crispy crust you like. I usually make this when I have a few small pieces of cheese leftover in the fridge, and just grate everything together and mix it up. I try to use sharp cheddar for the bulk of it, just because it keeps the consistency and flavor right about where I want it. The real signature flavor from this dish comes from the nutmeg, so feel free to go wild trying different cheeses. I like to use a small pasta shape that really grabs the cheese sauce when you mix them up. Elbows, Rotini, farfalle, fusilli, campanelle, and shapes like that are all great for this.
Ingredients:
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (or half butter / half olive oil)
3 Tbsp Flour
3 cups Whole Milk
24 oz of grated Cheese (I use mostly sharp cheddar, and I like to mix in about 4 oz of gorgonzola or another full-flavored sharp cheese, just to give an edge to the cheddar, and use up cheese from the fridge)
6 slices of bread, made into bread crumbs, or 1 cup of bread crumbs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp dry mustard (the strong stuff if you can find it)
1 tsp ground cayenne
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb dried pasta (I use campanelle)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 375
Butter a large baking dish. Set aside about 1 cup of shredded cheese for the topping.
Boil a large pot of water to cook the pasta (you want to cook it 2 minutes less than what would be al dente) and drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Take out 2 Tbs and mix it into the breadcrumbs with the parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Add the flour to the butter and cook for one minute, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the milk, removing any lumps, and add the bay leaf. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, and then cook for 4 - 5 minutes, until thickened. Take off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and add in the rest of the grated cheese, nutmeg, cayenne, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper (to taste). Stir until cheese is melted and the sauce is very smooth. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat and cover the pasta with the cheese sauce. Pour the cheese-covered pasta into the buttered baking dish. Add the grated cheese you set aside, and pour the breadcrumbs on top, flattening them with a wooden spoon. Put on the center rack in the oven and cook for 20 - 25 minutes, until the top is crispy and browned. Eat it hot, and make sure you have plenty of Frank's Hot Sauce. Make a lot, because this is great for re-heating.
Note: I think you can also try this with an all-cheese crust, instead of a cheese and breadcrumb crust, and I really gotta try that.
I wonder if we should work a little harder to give a more interesting voice to our recipes. I always like when you get good descriptions of what things should look and feel like as you are cooking. like when instructions are a little better than "cook for 5 minutes" and say how thick things should actually be. I like this because it helps you cook and it makes the recipe seem more like something someone has cooked a lot and is helping you cook. sometimes recipes focus too much on instruction and they arent any fun to read...
ReplyDelete