SOUTHERN MAC & CHEESE BAKE WITH SPICED TOMATO

When I was a young cook, getting the right sauce consistency for baked macaroni and cheese was hit or miss. I’d make the roux, stir in the milk, cheese and noodles, pop it in the oven and hope for the best. Discovering an old Southern recipe in a community cookbook that told me I could skip the roux and simply thicken the sauce by whisking egg into the milk was a great revelation. This method became my standard for baked mac & cheese: Never too thick but always cheesy-oozy the way my kids liked it. Somewhere along the line, I started mixing spiced tomatoes into the casserole, heightening the flavor, and never looked back.

With both sharp cheddar and Colby layered in the mix, this bake is super cheesy. I like to use an aged white cheddar, but you can substitute your favorite good quality sharp cheddar. Stick with Colby for the middle layer. I usually make this with regular elbow macaroni, but whole wheat or gluten-free options work well, too. For the tomato mix-in, I prefer to use Campari unless it’s summer and there are farmers market or home-grown beauties available. Crowning all, panko-crumb topping adds a nice crunch.

SERVES 10

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 1 lb (8 medium-sized) Campari tomatoes, quartered to make 2 cups
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder OR ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese
• 12 oz block of sharp cheddar cheese, grated with the large holes of the grater to make 4 cups (I use aged white cheddar)
• Several grinds of fresh cracked black pepper and
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 8 oz block of Colby cheese, grated with the large holes of the grater to make 2 cups
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 ½ Tbsp melted butter
• Pinch of salt

METHOD

MAKE MACARONI

Heat large pot of water to boiling with 2 tsp of salt stirred in. Add macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent clumping, until macaroni is cooked but not mushy. Strain macaroni in a large colander. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.

MAKE SPICED TOMATOES

Rinse tomatoes, quarter and add to a pot with 1 Tbsp. olive oil over low heat. Smash tomatoes with a potato masher. Stir in chili powder, paprika and salt. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until raw tomato flavors mellow. Remove from heat and set aside.

MAKE CHEESE SAUCE

In a large pot or bowl, whisk milk with eggs and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Stir in 2 cups of the grated cheddar cheese, pepper, salt and cooked/drained macaroni.

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE

Place oven rack in upper 1/3 of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon half of the macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and stir in half of the spiced tomatoes. Cover the noodles with the 2 cups of grated Colby cheese. Top with remaining noodles. Spoon remaining spiced tomatoes in dollops over the noodles, dotting evenly to cover the whole expanse. Cover casserole with foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove casserole from oven. Discard foil and top casserole with remaining 2 cups of grated cheddar. Mix panko bread crumbs with melted butter and a pinch of salt. Spread crumbs evenly over the cheese. Increase oven heat to broil setting. Place casserole back in oven for a scant minute or two until crumbs are golden brown and cheese is melty and bubbly. (Watch carefully—the topping can go from golden brown to burned in an instant!) Remove from oven and allow to setup for 15 minutes. Serve.