Food,Amazing Facts,Fitness,Diet Plans,Yoga,Detox Recipes: Recipe Of Cheese Macaroni Pasta

CHEESE MACARONI PASTA

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

for cooking pasta:

· 1 cup elbow macaroni or shell pasta, 100 grams or 3.5 ounces

· 4 cups water, 1 litre + ½ tsp salt

for cheese sauce:

· 3 tbsp butter

· 2 tbsp all purpose flour

· 2 cups cold milk, 500 ml

· ½ tsp crushed black pepper or as required

· a pinch or two pinch of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder

· 150 grams or 5.3 ounces mix of shredded cheddar, mozzarella and gouda cheese or any cheese, about 1.25 cups of shredded cheese

· ⅛ tsp salt or as required

for bread crumb mixture:

· 1 tsp butter, melted

· ⅓ cup breadcrumbs

toppings

· ⅛ to ¼ tsp crushed black pepper or as required

· 2 to 3 tbsp shredded cheese

NOW GO STEP BY STEP AS BELOW:

1. take 1 cup macaroni pasta or elbow macaroni (100 grams or 3.5 ounces).

2. then cook the elbow pasta as per the instructions on the package till they are al dente. i first heated 4 cups water + ½ tsp salt to a vigorous boil and then added the pasta.

3. cook them till they are al dente or just cooked. they should not get too soft or mushy or break.

4. drain them in a colander or strainer.

5. whilst the pasta is cooking, grease a baking pan with some softened butter. skip this step if you do not plan to bake the mac n cheese.

6. then in a microwave safe bowl, melt 1 tsp butter.

7. now add ⅓ cup breadcrumbs to the melted butter. for the breadcrumbs, just take 3 to 4 bread slices ( 2 to 3 days old bread slices). tear them and grind in a dry grinder or mixer.

8. with a spoon mix the breadcrumbs with the melted butter very well. keep aside.

9. heat 3 tbsp butter in a thick bottomed sauce pan on a low flame. also preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius/390 degrees fahrenheit.

10. the butter should heat up well. you should see the frothing effect on the butter before you add the flour.

11. then add 2 tbsp all purpose flour.

12. using a wired whisk stir the flour quickly as soon as you add it.

13. keep on stirring so that no lumps are formed.

14. the frequent stirring helps the flour to cook evenly.

15. you will see the flour frothing and bubbling up while stirring.

16. saute the flour till you get a nice aroma from the flour and a pale golden color. don’t brown the flour.

17. keep the flame to the lowest and then pour the milk in a gentle stream. pour the milk with one hand and stir the sauce mixture with the other. the milk has to be chilled, so that lumps are not formed. if you use hot or warm milk or milk at room temperature, lumps can be formed.

18. do stir frequently while the milk warms and heats up.

19. the sauce would begin to thicken, so do stir often.

20. when the sauce has thickened well, switch off the flame. a test is that the sauce should coat the back of a spoon. below pic showing the consistency of the white sauce.

21. keep the saucepan down and wait for a minute. then add 150 grams (5.3 ounces) shredded cheese. i used a mix of cheddar, gouda and mozzarella. you can also use just cheddar cheese or processed cheese or your favorite cheese. the flavor and taste largely depends on the kind of cheese you use.

22. again mix and stir so that the cheese melts.

23. the cheese needs to melt well in the hot bechamel sauce or white sauce. after adding the cheese what you get is a cheese sauce.

24. add ⅛ to ¼ tsp crushed black pepper and a pinch or two of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder.

25. add very little salt. about 2 to 3 pinches or about ⅛ tsp. cheese already has salt in it, so add accordingly. you can taste the sauce first and then add salt as per your taste preference.

26. stir again.

27. now add the pasta in the cheese sauce.

28. with a spoon stir and mix very well so that the sauce coats the macaroni very well.

29. here the mac and cheese is done. if you want you can serve mac n cheese hot, at this step or proceed further to bake it.

30. pour the mac and cheese in the prepared pan.

31. top evenly with the breadcrumbs+melted butter mixture.

32. now sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp of the remaining shredded cheese on top.

33. sprinkle some crushed black pepper.

34. bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius/390 degrees fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes till cheese melts or gets golden and the mac & cheese is bubbly and hot. do keep a check while baking as oven temperatures vary.