Baked Macaroni & Cheese Recipe : Delicious Cheesy Italian Dish!

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

• Author: Karishma Shah
• Recipe Category: Italian Recipe
• Cuisine: Italian
• Serves: 4

Description: This Creamy macaroni pasta with the combination of cheddar cheese in white sauce takes the heart away with its cheesy taste and refreshing flavours. The sprinkle of spice powders and drizzle of hot sauce makes this baked macaroni one of the best Italian dish. The core ingredients of this dish are cooked macaronic, white sauce and the bread crumbs topping which gives us the delicious crunchy bite with an extra taste.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Ingredients:

Pasta:

• Macaroni – 1 cup (1 packet )
• Salt – ½ tsp.
• Water – 4 cups (for boiling)

Note: The macaroni is also called as shells or cavatappi. The original macaroni is known as elbow macaroni. The macaroni is available in the market, but it can also be prepared at home.

It would take 1 litre of water for the entire 1 pack of pasta.

Cheese Sauce:

• Butter / Spread – 3 tbsp.
• Occident Flour – 2 tbsp.
• Shredded Cheese – 1 ¼ cups
• Blacker Pepper Powder – ½ tsp.
• Milk – 2 cups
• Nutmeg Powder – a pinch (optional)
• Salt – as required

Note: You may use any flour, but the all-purpose flour is best to use.

You can use the combination of cheese like cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, Gouda cheese or American cheese. The total proportion of cheese should be 1.25 cups, either you use one kind of cheese or different cheeses. If you want you may use only mozzarella or parmesan cheese for the dish.

The market term for butter spread is Margarine. If you do not have nutmeg powder, then skip adding it.

Always use the cold milk for making the cheese sauce. You can boil the milk and then refrigerate before using.

Bread Crumb Mixture:

• Bread Crumbs – ¼ cup
• Melted Butter – 1 tsp.

Note: If you do not have bread crumbs, then take the two slices of bread, cut the edges of the bread. Break the bread into small pieces and grind it to the fine powder. This grounded mixture from bread is bread crumbs.

Other:

• Garlic Bread – ¼ cup (serving)
• Shredded Cheese – 2 tbsp. (topping)

Note: You can have any other spices or sauces for seasoning the pasta.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Steps:

Bread Crumb Topping:

• Take the approximately 1 tsp. of butter in a mixing bowl and melt it in a microwave or with on flame with the help of double boiler.
• When the butter is melted, transfer the bread crumbs to this bowl and mix it well with the help of a spatula.
• Combine the bread powder with the melted butter evenly and keep the mixture aside to cool for some time.

Note: To avoid melting the butter, you can use the butter spread.

Cook the Pasta:

• Boil the 4 cups of water in a pot till it reaches the boiling point.
• When the bubbles start forming, sprinkle the ½ tsp. of salt and then add pasta into the pot.
• Allow them to cook until they become mushy.
• When the pasta is completely cooked and have become soft, turn off the flame.
• Drain off the extra water and keep them aside to cool down.

Note: If you are using the pasta which you have bought from the market, then before you cook your pasta read the instruction on the packet.

You can use the colander or strainer for removing the excess water.

Make Cheese Sauce:

• Take a saucepan and melt the 3 tbsp. of butter or spread over a low flame.
• When the butter has melted, add the 2 tbsp. of sieved flour in this pan.
• Stir well for 2-3 minutes till the mixture gets the fine brown coloured texture. Keep stirring as quickly as you can to avoid the flour from getting burnt.
• Take precaution that you the flour is cooked evenly and no part of the flour is left uncooked.
• Sauté the flour well till the fragrant aroma starts to release.
• When you see the bubbles forming from the flour, lower the flame and pour in the milk ½ cup of milk. Again stir well the mixture.
• Keep on stirring the sauce mixture with one hand and add milk in regular intervals to make the smooth paste like texture.
• With the addition of milk, you have to whisk properly to remove the lumps.
• Keep on stirring and adding the milk till you add 2 cups of milk in the cheese paste.
• As the milk will get mixed with the flour and become warm, the mixture will attain the thick consistency.
• When the sauce thickens, turn off the flame and put the pan down.
• Wait for a while, let the mixture cool down. After some time, add the 1 ¼ cup of shredded cheese mixture to the white sauce and whisk again.
• You have to again stir and allow cheese to melt in the sauce paste.
• The cheese has to entirely melt in your white sauce mixture.
• Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg powder, ¼ tsp. of black pepper powder and season the cheese sauce with the pinch of salt.
• Stir well the mixture and check the taste.
• Now again cook this sauce for 5-6 minutes to have the thick paste.
• Lastly, this will make the sauce smooth.

Note: It is advisable to use the thick-bottomed pan.

The milk should be chilled, as the warm milk can form lumps in the mixture.

You can also sprinkle a pinch of mustard powder in your cheese sauce.

The addition of flour thicken the sauce, but if you are in hurry then skip the use of flour.

If you want to skip the baking step then you can simply mix the cooked pasta in the white cheese sauce you prepared and serve directly.  But, if you want to bake your pasta, then check the below-mentioned process.

Baking the Mac & Cheese Pasta:

• If you want to bake your paste, then it is essential that you first pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C.
• Take the pan or the skillet large enough to hold the paste.
• Now in this pan, add the cooked macaroni and the pour the white cheese sauce which you prepared.
• With the help of a spatula, stir well to coat each macaroni evenly with the white sauce.
• Then, take casserole dish or baking dish the grease its surface with the butter.
• Transfer the mixture of macaroni and cheese sauce from the pan to baking dish. Fold the pasta properly with the white sauce.
• Top the above layer of the mac & cheese sauce with the bread crumb and butter mixture.
• Sprinkle some black pepper and 3 tsp. of shredded cheese over this layer of bread crumb.
• Keep the pan in oven for 50 minutes to bake.
• Wait till the cheese melts and become golden in colour.
• Keep checking the oven and the baking dish. Avoid over-heating. The dish may be cooked in less than 50 minutes.
• Remove the tray from the oven, keep it out and wait for 5 minutes. Let the baked cheese macaroni attain the room temperature.

And the warm, bubbly, creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese is ready to eat!

Note: It is preferred to use a thin dish for baking the macaroni as the time requires to bake reduces. There is no harm if you have the thicker dish, it will simply increase the baking time.

Additional Information:

• Calories: 600 calories
• Total Time: PT50M
• Date Published: 2016-07-16