Mac n' cheese if you please

                               Baked Mac 'n cheese

Mac 'n cheese is not only a classic dish but also one of my absolute favorite things to make and eat. This delicious dish has endless possibilities as far as flavor is concerned. As a cheese monger I have access to hundreds of cheeses and the opportunity to hear what people are making. The usual 3-4 cheese macs are what I get to play with and help people create. Everything from the more complex including ingredients like prosciutto, pancetta, lamb, etc. As well as simple 1-2 cheese combos with the usual suspects like cheddar and gruyere. How ever, I decided to challenge myself to making a healthier mac n' cheese that didn't sacrifice any flavor. 

  The first place to start was finding a great cheese that would offer a lot of flavor and also not be completely terrible for you. I decided upon an Irish cheddar called "Oscar Wilde". Irish cheddar's tend to be sharp, nutty and a bit tangy in flavor with a well rounded amount of salt to them. If you can't find Oscar Wilde cheddar a more commonly found irish cheddar is Kerrygold Dubliner or Vintage Dubliner. 

 Now, On to the sauce! How to create a rich creamy sauce that wont add to your waist line?

  It starts with a basic sauce I learned how to make growing up called a Béchamel. Truly a simple sauce to make, it contains a basic 3 ingredients: Milk, butter and flour. To create a cheese sauce from this is turns into what is known as a Mornay sauce with the simple change of adding the cheese. Your normal mac n cheese typically calls for heavy cream to give that rich creamy flavor and texture. Mornay sauce does a great job of supplying both those but with the option of using something healthier than heavy cream. In my recipe I used low fat milk and whole wheat flour to help the healthy.

 Lastly I wanted to do a bit healthier noodle and bread crumb topping to round out my all around healthier version. I found a veggie based pasta at the store to replace the normal elbow noodles. To top it all off I found a whole wheat panko bread crumb that I mixed with a bit of cheese to help get that crispy crust.

 I will put it out there that I am in no way saying this is so healthy that you can eat this every day, though it is a great alternative to other recipes. This also is not the healthiest one out there, but I am a foodie and sacrificing all flavor is out of the question just to kick those few extra calories out of a recipe. This little note is just to cover me from angry comments ;) 

Now for the recipe!

Baked Mac N Cheese with a healthy twist:

Ingredients: 

• 12oz Vegetable Farfalle (or other shaped Veggie pasta)
• 1 cup low fat milk
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour (regular flour also works)
• pepper and salt to taste
• 10oz shredded cheese ( I used Oscar Wilde cheddar)

Topping:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumb
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly shredded)
• 2 tablespoons cheddar ( I had a bit left over from making the sauce)

~Preheat oven to 375 degrees

- Bring water to a boil and cook pasta for about 2 minutes less than the instructions on the box. You want a par-cooked pasta, the pasta will finish cooking in the oven. Drain pasta once done, toss with a teaspoon of olive oil to keep it from sticking. Place in large mixing bowl, set aside.

- Warm milk over low heat in a small sauce pan until it is just over room temperature, set aside. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, then slowly whisk in the flour until blended. Heat the roux until it turns into a paste like consistency and slightly browns. 

-Slowly add in the milk until blended. Cook over medium heat continuously stirring.

Once the sauce has thickened to where it coats a spoon and you can draw a finger across the back of the spoon and leave a clear line.  Add salt and pepper, stir well.

Remove from the heat. Add cheese a handful at a time stirring constantly and incorporating each handful well. Stir until completely melted.  

-In a separate small mixing bowl combine the breadcrumbs and cheese to create the topping. 

-Pour sauce into mixing bowl with pasta. Stir until all the pasta has been coated with the sauce. If Available, scoop mixture into 5 medium ramekins that have been lightly greased.

If not use an 8x8 glass baking dish, also lightly greased. Sprinkle a light layer of the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Place ramekins on a baking sheet, bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until topping is crispy and sauce is bubbling. 

   

I hope you try and enjoy my mac n cheese recipe. I encourage you to experiment by trying new cheeses and adding some extra flavor. Try adding a bit of paprika for a smokey and slightly spicy kick, or some dried parsley for a little extra something.

  Until next time, cook, experiment and enjoy great food.

  Cheers,

 Angel