This actually reminds me a lot of Heston Blumenthal’s method, where you reduce wine and stock, add parmesan tossed in a bit of flour, then mix in cream cheese and finish with a sharp hard cheese. Heston adds truffle oil as well, because he’s Heston. In this method you’re just replacing the flour with the pasta starch and skipping the wine and stock, which is faster and less fancy. It’s a good concept! I’ve had good results with Heston’s approach and I would expect this would work similarly.
Wow! Was this ever easy. I was a little worried when I initially put all the cheeses and the dry mustard into the pot – it seemed too watery even after the cheese had melted. However, I have a lot of faith in Kitchn recipes, so I kept stirring and lo and behold the sauce thickened and dinner was ready! Thank you again for another winning recipe!
INGREDIENTS:
6 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
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I gotta gripe, you need to specify the type of pot! I printed out the recipe and DID NOT watch the video. I used a large pot, a big saucepan. To help the water heat quickly, I covered the pot as it came to a boil. Added the pasta, cooked no-lid. When it was finished I did not drain and added all the ingredients as directed.
NOW after watching the video, I find I should have used my 2-gallon stainless dutch oven. I wish the directions for this had said, “Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large *wide* pot over medium-high heat.”. Had I done so there would have had a more concentrated starch solution had “a large WIDE pot.”
The damn cheddar (medium sharp) would NOT blend into the liquid. Everything else did, but the cheddar remained in somewhat gloppy semi-melted shreds throughout. No matter how long I stirred over heat, if I stopped it drifted to the bottom of the pan. The sauce did get somewhat thick.
I accept full responsibility for the lid while bringing the water to a boil, but the recipe should have stated the specific type of pot needed because it makes a difference in the recipe. Perhaps I will try it again and use the wide pot.
In any case, we ate and strangely I liked the texture of the semi-melted cheddar; it was rich, with a buttery juicy taste and pleasant enough to eat. The cheese mixture was VERY delicious, and I will be using it in the future for mac and cheese.
INGREDIENTS:
6 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound dried short pasta, such as macaroni
12 ounces shredded melting cheese, such as Fontina, mozzarella, sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large, wide pot (such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until tender. Do not drain the pasta.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the shredded cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan, and mustard. Stir until all the cheeses are melted and the sauce is creamy. If the sauce is very thick, add water or milk a few tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with salt as needed. Serve immediately.
RECIPE NOTES
Baked mac and cheese: If you have a little extra time, you can bake the macaroni and cheese to give it a golden crust. Pour the prepared mac and cheese into a casserole dish, cover with a lid or foil, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a few pats of butter, and bake uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the interior is bubbly.
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts. If the sauce is a little dry after reheating, mix in a splash of milk to make it creamy again.
source:thekitchn.com