Baked Macaroni (and Cheese)

Have you ever wondered how elbow macaronis get their cute, small, miniature elbow shapes? I recently discovered that the pasta has to be pressed through a special tool that allows for the hole to exist between the pasta walls.  Up until a few weeks ago, I had never seen real, Italian macaroni in its longer form—without being cut and not in the elbow variety.  When manufactured, macaroni is a long pasta tube like spaghetti or fettuccine, but is often cut at an intense speed that allows for the elbow shapes to occur.  In America, we hardly know what real macaroni is outside of macaroni and cheese, but when visiting Rhett’s Nanee last weekend, she showed me a package labeled “#7 macaroni.”  It was long and tube-like and you could see the hole running all the way through.

Now that’s macaroni.  The real way.  The Italian way.  No cutting required.

For today’s recipe, I’m reprinting another Blancher family favorite: Baked Macaroni and Cheese.  Unlike the traditional cheesy version I make here (sans bacon), this casserole variation combines a large quantity of eggs with the béchamel mixture.  The result is a more eggy macaroni casserole than I’ve had in the past, and the dish has an authentic Italian feel to its construction.  Try with real Italian pasta from specialty stores like Fresina’s in Baton Rouge, or see if you can locate a “#7 macaroni” in your supermarket.

Baked Macaroni

*1 (12-ounce) package #7 macaroni

*6 eggs, beaten

*5 cups cheddar cheese, grated (I prefer sharp, but the Blancher family uses medium)

*1/2 cup milk

*Salt & pepper, to taste

*3 tablespoons butter

1.) Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil (remember, the Italian cooking rule of thumb: pasta water should taste like “sea water” so that the pasta has flavor).  Cook until al dente (firm, but still tender), and drain.

2.) In a large bowl, beat together eggs and milk.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Fold in macaroni and spread half of macaroni in a large casserole dish.  Sprinkle with half of the cheese and top with remaining pasta mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese, dollops of the 3 tablespoons of butter, and salt and pepper to garnish.

3.) Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and cool for several minutes before serving.  Makes 8 servings.

–Helana Brigman

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