OMA'S MAC AND CHEESE
Servings
6-8
Cook Time
30
Servings
6-8
Cook Time
30
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. In a small bowl, scramble the egg and set aside. You will use this to create a sort of custard that will help set the macaroni as it bakes. When the water boils, add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes, or to taste.
  3. While the macaroni is cooking, shred the cheese in a food processor (note: do not buy pre-shredded cheese; it has additives that you don't need.). In a large bowl, add cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and sour cream. You will add the cooked, strained macaroni to the bowl when it is ready.
  4. Meanwhile, take some of the hot milk mixture and pour a small amount into the egg, whisking with your other hand. This is called tempering and it will bring the temperature of the egg up without scrambling it. Once you have poured about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the small bowl, you can then take the egg and milk mixture and pour it back into the saucepan. Be sure to whisk the mixture in the saucepan while you do this. Set the mixture aside, off the heat.
  5. Strain the cooked macaroni and place into the large bowl. Take about 1/3 of the cheese and add it to the bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are well blended.
  6. Butter a medium sized casserole dish and pour 1/2 of the mixed macaroni in. Take 1/2 of the remaining shredded cheese and pour a layer of it into the casserole. Pour the remaining macaroni on top. Take the milk mixture, give it a final whisk and pour it into the casserole slowly. Once you see the milk coming up the sides, stop. The milk mixture should not reach the top of the casserole or else it will bubble over. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and dot the top with small pieces of the cold butter. This will help the casserole to brown nicely.
  7. Place in the middle of the preheated oven with a pan or foil on the shelf underneath it (in case it does bubble over) and cook until browned and bubbly, approximately 25-30 minutes. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
  8. Jessica's Notes: You can easily convert this to a gluten free recipe by substituting gluten free macaroni elbows for the wheat ones. If you do this, you will need to lower the amount of time you boil the pasta for, as gluten free pasta cooks more quickly. Taste as you go, and strain when al dente.