I really ought to call this “mac” and cheese because I always use penne; today’s is dark whole wheat. And it’s grownup in two other ways: it’s lighter, both in fat and cholesterol, and the flavors are not bland. Far from it.
When I wrote about excessive pasta portions in July, I mentioned a recipe I’d seen that uses two pounds of pasta, more than two-and-a-half pounds of cheese and one-and-a-half quarts of half and half. Recipe said it serves 6 to 8. I’m still experiencing dietary shock and awe.
I’ve been making a lighter version for years and this recipe has evolved in both ingredients and technique. It’s inspired by Jacques Pépin’s Penne au Gratin. He lightened up the classic comfort food by using whole milk and less cheese, but it was prone to scorching; his cubes of cheese took forever to melt at temperatures low enough to prevent scorching. Sometimes the sauce ended up grainy. I’ll bet you know what I mean. So with common sense and a good memory, I made it faster and smoother while keeping it virtuous.
Whole milk has been replaced with a combination of evaporated milk, which I recall my mother liking for mac and cheese because of its creaminess, and skim milk. I add some zing with extra-sharp cheddar or, a favorite I used today, cheddar with basil and tomato. It’s still flexible enough to assemble ahead and now it’s fast enough to be on the table in about 40 minutes, give or take. Even though I’m using whole wheat pasta this time, I don’t always but I do stock up when it’s on sale and it was.
Important notes about the cheese: I’ve shaved many minutes off the melting time by using grated cheese. Please don’t use the shredded cheese in a bag; those cheeses have cornstarch added to prevent clumping. Unfortunately, it inhibits melting. Also, do go by weight, not volume. If you grate the cheese, as I do, with a popular Microplane rasp grater, you’ll have a mound of quick-melting cheese so fluffy it will fool your measuring cups. The tomato and basil cheddar, by Cabot of Vermont, is not an acquired taste; people either love it or hate it. Try a bit on its own before deciding if it’s for you.
Ella’s Grownup “Mac” and Cheese
Inspired by Jacques Pépin’s Penne au Gratin
6 ounces penne (2 cups filled to the rim)
1/2 TB unsalted butter
1 TB olive oil
2 TB flour
1 12-oz can evaporated milk
1 cup skim milk, room temperature
5 ounces exta-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp coarse salt or 3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper *
1/2 tsp paprika, or to taste
1 1/2 TB grated Parmesan cheese
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
*If you’re a purist, by all means use white pepper.
Lightly spray a 2-qt baking dish.
Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Salt the water generously, add pasta and boil for 8-9 minutes, until al dente. Drain and set aside. If assembling in advance, rinse under cold water till cool; do not rinse if finishing now.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a 2-qt saute or sauce pan, heat the butter and oil until the butter is melted, add the flour, stir well to eliminate any lumps and cook briefly over medium heat, 10-15 seconds. Add both milks, whisking in quickly to avoid scorching. Still on medium heat, bring to a boil, whisking frequently, and let boil for 10 seconds.
Reduce heat to low. Add the salt and pepper, stir, then add the cheddar and mix well. It will melt almost immediately.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. If preparing in advance, set aside to cool. Otherwise, assemble while sauce and pasta are both hot.
Mix the pasta into the sauce, adjust seasoning if necessary, and transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika and Parmesan, top with diced tomato. Run under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until nicely browned. Serve immediately.
If preparing in advance, assemble as above and refrigerate. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until bubbling and brown.
Serves 4
Ella’s notes: Cheddar is easier to grate when cold. If your skim milk is straight from the fridge, 30 seconds or so in the microwave at full power will warm it nicely. When using regular pasta I often combine the Parmesan and paprika before sprinkling, but with darker whole wheat pasta I like the lighter look of Parm right before tomatoes. A minor point, to be sure, and your choice. This was the broiler version.
Related: Ella’s Baked Ziti
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Love Mac & Cheese
Thanks to my venerable old Fanny Farmer cookbook, I’ve made the cheese sauce seperately for years; reduced the butter the recipe called for and substituted milk for cream. It never occurred to me to try olive oil. Now I will!
Another Farmer fan! That was my first cookbook, in paperback no less, and it’s taped to within an inch of its life. I’d never consider getting rid of it — so often when I’m researching a dish I say to myself, Let’s see what Fannie has to say.
I think you’ll like the olive oil/butter combo. That was Pepin’s idea and worked so well for me that I kept it. I tried all olive oil — no no.
Seriously yummy!
=) Mine is hardcover ~ only because it was a gift from my sister, complete with her idea of a witty inscription to a 19 year old that didn’t know how to boil water
~ otherwise I think we have the same cookbook!
I love it for checking back on basics and Fannie has often surprised me with some great, tasty recipes.
Yeah, I have a Peanuts cookbook with one of those inscriptions from a college roommate. Deserved, I might add.
One of the first things I made when I was on my own was Fannie’s baked tomatoes stuffed with breadcrumbs. “She” taught me to salt and invert them first to drain. A couple years ago Cooks Illustrated did some stuffed or baked tomatoes and their usual “we tried this, we tried that” etc. and I’m reading along thinking…salt and invert the darn things!
They got there eventually, as if it were a revelation, but Fannie beat them by a mile. Or two.
@amyszoo -hello! What a charming blog you have. (I use coupons too!)
Thank you for stopping by. Don’t be a stranger, k?
I love Mac and Cheese too.
I collect cookbooks but have never owned or used any Fannie Farmer’s. Maybe it is because people keep them and they don’t end up on used bookshelves.
I’ll look on Amazon and end up trying again to explain to my husband why I STILL keep buying cookbooks when I already have so many and can look up recipes on the internet. (An addiction, maybe?)
Anyway, thanks for another great recipe.
I understand the addiction. About every 5-10 years I cull the herd but I still have cookbooks everywhere. Your library probably has Fannie.
BTW, I just posted your pear crisp. Well, actually, I Yankeefied it. Do forgive me!