Just before Christmas I had the tastiest Macaroni and Cheese made by my friend Todd Pozinsky. So when my Recipe Challenge was “cheesy, creamy and crispy” this was my opportunity to try duplicate Todd’s pasta.
Started by my son Russell for his friends the Recipe Challenge is for the tagged person to give me three adjectives to make something that meets the description. This one is from Alaina Prevot. Alaina, I hope you like this. You get to name the next person.
Chef Todd made Mac n Cheese as a side for an event attended by 1,500-2,000 people daily. He baked a small batch for a few of us prepping for him. I was slow to retrieve it from the oven and the top got slightly burnt, which just tasted fabulous.
I used to make Mac n Cheese back when the kids were teens. Lazy Sunday night dinner would be Mac n Cheese with sweet corn and tuna. The kids could even make it themselves because the only kind Alison would eat was Kraft’s Macaroni and Cheese. Once I made it from scratch and no one liked it. So I stuck with Kraft’s 80-cents version. Why fight icons? What was mine missing? Since then I rarely eat the stuff. Until Todd’s.
I saw Todd put in Velvetta. I’m suspicious of Velvetta. Maybe that’s the secret, the goo that makes it sticky and smooth.
When I asked him how he made it, he said: “Cream, a lot of cream, Velvetta, cheese–any kind of cheese–Worcestershire sauce and a little bit of Tabasco. You have to use Velvetta. Make a sauce, add the pasta and then bake it.”
That was it. That was Todd giving me the recipe.
Asking a chef how much he used can complicate matters. Do the math. I think he said he used 8 pounds of Velvetta and tubs of cream. The tray he left his pasta in is large enough to bathe my new grandson in. And he used 20 of those trays. I also forgot to ask what temperature.
The Velvetta and cream would take care of creamy, I was convinced. I’d put in Sharp Cheddar to make it cheesy but Todd said I could use any cheese. Harvarti, Monterrey Jack, Mild Cheddar, Pepper Jack.
But crispy? The burnt bits were delicious but it was more chewy than crispy. Once Todd baked crispy Parmesan for a salad topping which was delicious also but I didn’t want to sprinkle something over the cooked Mac n Cheese. I thought something baked on top would be better. Some recipes use Ritz crackers, bread crumbs and Parmesan. I’ll use Panko. It will be crispy for sure.
What about the proportions? I’ll figure out when I cook. But when I opened the Velvetta, lo and behold! they had the recipe for Down Home Macaroni and Cheese inside the box.
Their recipe called for only two cups of cooked elbow pasta, which was too little for me. I used half a pound, about 5 cups cooked. That’s plenty for Ted and myself. Todd used squiggly, cavatappi pasta (I found at Trader Joe’s). I think it looks fancier than boring old elbow pasta so I copied his. I think the squiggle and ridges also hold the cheesy cream better.
Velvetta’s sauce called for 2 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup flour and 1 cup milk. I’m sticking to cream but estimated I should double the liquid to two cups. They used ½ pound of Velvetta and only ½ cup of cheddar. I’ll use the same amount of Velvetta and double the cheese and see if it’s rich enough.
The pasta fit to the brim of my 8-inch by 6-inch by 2-inch Pyrex. To check if my amount of sauce was right, I placed the drained pasta in my Pyrex dish, added 2 cups of water to see if this was sufficient or would flow over. Two cups was about it. Then I drained the pasta again.
Velvetta also had a topping but with Ritz. They tossed 1 tablespoon of butter with ¼ cup crackers. I doubled it to 2 tablespoons butter, and fried it with ¼ cup panko and ¼ cup Parmesan.
This tweaking of ingredients sounds a bit like re-inventing the wheel but I really wanted to make Todd’s Mac n Cheese and so I’m willing to go through the process.
Half a pound is plenty for four people, even as a main dish. This thing is filling. Double this recipe, put it in a larger casserole dish and it will make a great side to bring to a party.
Macaroni and Cheese With Panko Parmesan Topping
Serving size: four servings, makes about 6 cups
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
½ pound cooked cavatappi pasta, drained
2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
½ pound Velvetta, cut into cubes
1 cup shredded Cheddar
¼ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
8 sprinkles Tabasco
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup panko
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Set oven to 350 degrees Fanrenheit.
Lightly grease an oven-proof, 8-inch by 6-inch by 2-inch casserole. Set aside.
In a 3-quart pot bring heavy cream to a gentle boil. Lower heat to medium and carefully add Velvetta and whisk to melt.
Add cheddar and continue to stir until cheese melt. When sauce thickens, add Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and stir to blend. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add pasta to sauce and stir well so cream is well mixed with pasta. Set aside.
Melt butter in a non-stick pan. Add panko and Parmesan and stir until butter is absorb and topping is golden brown.
Transfer pasta to casserole dish and sprinkle panko topping over pasta.
Bake for 20 minutes until bubbly and heated through. Cool for a few minutes before serving.
NOTES
–You can adjust the seasoning; maybe more Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco
–For simple and plain Macaroni and Cheese, skip the panko topping.
