Not that I would ever abandon my standard baked mac & cheese, but sometimes you want a creamy stove top version. It’s become one of those sort of full circle things in my life, that when my kids were little of course they wanted box mac & cheese, not home made – although we had all natural Annie’s, rather than Kraft – but as they got older, they started liking mine, and now not only does my older son make his own version of my mac & cheese, he’s shared the recipe with all his friends, too.
I first tried a stove top mac that was too sauce-y, too much roux and thick sauce to noodle, so I was interested to try this recipe since it had less roux and you add a measured amount of water, then the milk, then the dry pasta, and cook it until the noodles are done and have soaked up all the water. Then you add the cheese.
Ingredients (for 4 servings):
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 3/4 cups milk, warmed
- 1/2 pound macaroni or pasta of your choice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese – again your choice – when I tested this recipe I used white cheddar, Swiss, a kind of spicey smoked cheddar with a bit of chipotle, and Parmesan
- Additional salt & pepper to taste, and you can play around with the seasoning – I often put in a bit of nutmeg, and dry or prepared mustard, and some hot seasonings like cayenne would not be out of place
Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan that holds at least 2 quarts. Add the flour and blend, then whisk in the water, and then the milk. Add the dry pasta and the salt. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the pasta is cooked and liquid is mostly absorbed. Uncover and add the grated cheese and any additional seasonings. Stir well and serve.
Originally posted January 2019