pasta

Hey everyone we are back and today I’ll be sharing with you one of my favorite go-to meal when I am not in the mood to cook and just want something warm and comforting. If you guessed Mac & Cheese you would be correct! Mac & Cheese is one of those things that I think is perfect and can do no wrong.

This is the best form of comfort food ever made, the warm creamy sauce and cheesy goodness is oh so delicious. This is a simple recipe but requires a few steps, and the best part is that you can change and make variations in this however you like. This recipe can be made in 2 different ways depending on what you have on hand.  I’ll be sharing the pot version and also one made in the oven as well.

Mac and Cheese is traditionally made with Macaroni pasta but as it taste the same I like to use a large elbow macaroni or a large shell pasta (Conchiglie) as the

Some basic ingredients required for both recipes are:

·        Pasta of your choice

·        Water

·        Salt/Pepper

·        Garlic powder

·        Fresh garlic

·        Cheese

·        Milk

·        Heavy cream

·        Butter

·        Flour

Pot Pasta:

Sauce it up!

Let’s make the sauce for the Pot Pasta

·        Start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan

·        Add 2 tablespoons of flour

·        Whisk it together, make sure the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom of a pan

·        Add 1 cup of milk and keep whisking till the sauce gets a bit thick

·        Take it off the heat and add 1 Cup of cheese of your choice equal parts cheddar and mozzarella  and whisk till velvet smooth

·        Add in ¼ cup of heavy cream

·        Add in 1 tsp of garlic powder, ½ tsp of smoked paprika, salt, pepper to taste

·        Your sauce is done now set it aside

Pasta:

·        Take a pot, add water and season it with 2 tablespoons of salt, put it on the heat

·        Add in your pasta, just until al dente, drain it and set aside ½ cup of pasta water

Assemble:

·        Take your sauce, add in your drained pasta and mix it up

·        Add half a cup of more grated Cheese

·        If it seems a bit dry or thick add in a bit of your pasta water to make it smooth and velvety once again

·        I like to use the shell or large elbow pasta as the sauce gets in all the ridges and crevices making it more delicious

Oven Baked:

For the sauce:

The sauce uses the same procedure as the first one, just add in 2 more cups of cheese and ½ cup more milk.

Topping:

·        This version has a delicious bread crumb topping that makes it have a crispy texture on top.

·        Mix together ¾ of bread crumbs, add in your herbs like oregano, thyme, salt and pepper and mix

·        Add 4 Tablespoons of melted butter and mix

Assemble:

·        Mix your pasta and sauce

·        Take an oven safe dish and add in half of your pasta

·        Add a layer of grated cheese

·        Add the rest of the pasta

·        Top it off with the bread crumbs and place it in oven that’s been set to 175C for 20 to 25 minutes

·        Take it out and serve

Additions and Alternatives:

·        If you want to include protein in your meal, you can add sliced grilled chicken or coat your chicken in bread crumbs and add a crispy piece of chicken with your cheesy pasta

·        Serve your pasta and pair it with the perfect side of garlic bread

·        If you want to go to a healthy route you can replace the flour and butter in the sauce with boiling cauliflower till its mushy, put it in a blender, add the cheese and spices and blend till smooth

·        It is a healthier alternative or as healthy as pasta and cheese can be

All these options are great I normally go for macaroni in the pot, but when I’m feeling fancy I go for the oven baked version plus you can serve it in the same dish. Give these recipes a try and let me know how you liked them and what, if any, changes you made.