10 facts about macaroni:
1. Crayola understands our love for macaroni. In 1993, they created a crayon that made colouring our favourite food a lot easier.
2. Nobody knows the true origin of Mac N’ Cheese, but some people believe the first recipe came from southern Italy in the 13th century. It consisted of sheets of lasagne made from fermented dough which were then cut into small squares that were boiled and mixed with grated cheese.
3. Macaroni and cheese connoisseurs (yes, apparently there is such a thing) recommend pairing your delicious, cheesy meal with a glass of Chardonnay.
4. Pick the right pasta. There’s a reason why purists swear by shell pasta and elbow macaroni–these two types have the right amount of surface area for the cheese to hold on to. Long, thin strands like linguine can’t handle the amount of cheese coming their way and are better suited for sauces like tomato and Alfredo.
5. During the end of the Great Depression, macaroni and cheese became a popular food item due to its low cost. It was billed as “the housewife’s best friend, a nourishing one pot meal” and sold 8 million boxes when it was released by Kraft Foods in 1937. The popularity of the food then exploded once again in World War II.
6. Kraft Foods sells more than one million boxes of their Mac & Cheese every day!
7. Adults and children can’t get enough of it. When asked about macaroni and cheese in surveys, they both vote it as one of their favourite foods.
8. Need some mac but don’t want to use a whole pot? No problem. Throw in your favourite type of noodle, some milk, seasonings, and shredded cheese together in a mug to get an easy-to-clean macaroni fix.
9. Baked macaroni and cheese isn’t complete without a generous amount of bread crumbs. They provide a texture that complements the soft, creamy noodles. When you’re making a baked mac at home, try topping it with a mixture of mixing breadcrumbs with thyme for an irresistible dish.
10. The best macaroni and cheese has more than one type of cheese. By combining cheeses that melt well with others that have a signature, rich taste, you get the best of both worlds. That’s why Pasta Pantry picks four high end cheeses, Grana Padano Parmigiano, Pecorino Romano, Ricotta and Asiago, and a healthy amount of heavy cream to give you the best possible plate of cheesy goodness.
Ingredient:
4 cups macaroni, uncooked
8 tablespoons butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 cups milk
2 cups mozzarella
4 cups cheddar
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 dish.
Cook macaroni, In salted water for 1-2 minutes less than instructions, or al dente. Be careful not to overcook. Drain.
Place macaroni, butter, seasonings, milk, mozzarella and 3 cups of cheddar into dish and stir.
Mix eggs in a bowl, then stir into the mixture.
Cover with greased aluminum foil and cook for 45 minutes.
Uncover and stir, then add last cup of cheddar. Bake uncovered for 15 more minutes.
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