Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese (also known as mac and cheese in Canada and the United States and macaroni cheese in the United Kingdom) is a dish of macaroni and a cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce.
Its origins trace back to cheese and pasta casseroles dating to the 14th century in Italy and medieval England. The traditional macaroni and cheese is a casserole baked in the oven; however, it may be prepared in a saucepan on top of the stove or using a packaged mix. The cheese is often first incorporated into a Béchamel sauce to create a Mornay sauce, which is then added to the pasta. In the United States and Canada, it is considered a comfort food.
The history of Macaroni and Cheese
Cheese and pasta casseroles were recorded in the 14th century in the Italian cookbook Liber de Coquina, which featured a dish of Parmesan cheese and pasta. A cheese and pasta casserole known as makerouns, was recorded in the 14th-century medieval English cookbook the Forme of Cury. It was made with fresh, hand-cut pasta which was sandwiched between a mixture of melted butter and cheese, the recipe comparing it to losyns, a dish similar to lasagne. The recipe given (in Middle English) was:
| Take and make a thynne foyle of dowh, and kerue it on pieces, and cast hym on boiling water & seeþ it wele. Take chese and grate it, and butter imelte, cast bynethen and abouven as losyns; and serue forth. | Take a piece of thin pastry dough and cut it in pieces, place in boiling water and cook. Take grated cheese, melted butter, and arrange in layers like lasagna; serve. |
Modern times
The first modern recipe for macaroni and cheese was included in Elizabeth Raffald‘s 1769 book, The Experienced English Housekeeper. Raffald’s recipe is for a Béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese—a Mornay sauce in French cooking—which is mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked until bubbly and golden.
To dress Macaroni with Permasent Cheese. Boil four Ounces of Macaroni ’till it be quite tender, and lay it on a Sieve to drain, then put it in a Tolling Pan, with about a Gill of good Cream, a Lump of Butter rolled in Flour, boil it five Minutes, pour it on a Plate, lay all over it Permasent Cheese toasted; send it to the Table on a Water Plate, for it soon goes cold.
Variations
Another recipe from 1784 stated that the small tubes of macaroni must be boiled, and then drained in a sifter before being moved to a frying pan. Heavy cream is then added to the macaroni along with a “knob of butter” rolled in flour, and it must be cooked for five minutes before being transferred to a dish and topped with toasted Parmesan and pepper.
Eliza Acton‘s Modern Cookery in All Its Branches (1845) has a similar recipe for macaroni and cheese, called “Macaroni a la Reine”, which states that while the macaroni is being boiled to its tenderness, the cook must “dissolve gently ten ounces of any rich, well-flavored white cheese in full three-quarters of a pint of good cream; add a little salt, a full seasoning of cayenne, from half to a whole saltspoonful of pounded mace, and a couple of ounces of sweet fresh butter”. The recipe goes on that “the macaroni, previously well-drained, may then be tossed gently in it, or after it is dished, the cheese may be poured equally over the macaroni” before being thickly covered with breadcrumbs “fried of a pale gold color, and dried perfectly, either before the fire or in an oven, when such an addition is considered an improvement.”
The early years
The 1861 edition of the famous British Victorian cookbook Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management included two instances of “Macaroni, as usually served with the Cheese Course”. One of them states:
Wash the macaroni, and boil it in the gravy and milk until quite tender, without being broken. Drain it, and put it into rather a deep dish. Beat the yolks of the eggs with the cream and 2 tablespoonfuls of the liquor the macaroni was boiled in; make this sufficiently hot to thicken, but do not allow it to boil; pour it over the macaroni, over which sprinkle the grated cheese and the butter broken into small pieces; brown with a salamander, or before the fire, and serve.
In the United Kingdom, during the 2010s, it has seen a surge in popularity. This made it widespread as a meal and as a side order in both fast food and upmarket restaurants. (Wikipedia)
Ingredients
1 package elbow macaroni, 8 ounces, cooked
3 and 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 carton sour cream, 8 ounces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
paprika for garnish
Directions
To make this easy Macaroni And Cheese, start by heating the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart baking dish. In a bowl combine the cheese, sour cream, egg, and salt. Fold in the macaroni. Spoon it into the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with as much paprika to your liking. Bake for 45 minutes. Enjoy!