by amanda
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3 tablespoons butter Ask a question about this ingredient
12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated Ask a question about this ingredient
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated Ask a question about this ingredient
1 pound pasta spirals (or other small shape) Ask a question about this ingredient
1/8 teaspoon cayenne Ask a question about this ingredient
Heat oven to 475 degrees. Use one tablespoon butter to thickly grease a 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Combine the grated cheeses and set aside 2 heaping cups for topping.
Ask a question about this stepBring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes. Drain.
Ask a question about this stepIn a large bowl, toss together the pasta, cheeses, cayenne and salt to taste. Spread the mixture in the baking sheet and evenly pour the milk over the surface. Sprinkle the reserved cheese on top, dot with the remaining butter and bake, uncovered, until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepPure genius!
Sorry iPad spell correct got me. I added Parmesan and panko to the top.
Third time's the charm! :) Love your persistence -- and really glad you liked the recipe.
Sorry iPad spell correct got me. I added aprmesand and panko to the top.
Made this tonight, yum! Added some parmesan and Pablo to the top as wellnforbadded crunch. And parchment paper to the bottom of the pan. Still has a nice crunch. Great recipe, this is a keeper. Thanks.
Hi Amanda,
Nice recipe caught this as part of Yahoo's page with Martha Stewart's Mac & Cheese along with some high praise for you!
"... You've got to have a béchamel -- which is really just milk, thickened with flour.
Skip it and the cheese inevitably toughens and the grease breaks free. (A notable exception: Amanda Hesser's truly genius baking sheet mac and cheese, which cooks quickly enough not to destroy the impromptu cheese sauce.)"
Currently live in Mexico so Sharp Cheddar is hard to come by so I can't try it straght away.
The first question that comes to my mind is why can't you use a silicone baking mat to get rid of the burnt bottom? Or is the burnt bottom something you want.
Perhaps you could give it a try and let us know. I'll try to find some cheeses in the next month or so when I can travel to a larger market.
I like the idea of not using flour.
Thanks for your comment! You could definitely use a silicone baking mat. Not sure if it will prevent the burning but will make the clean up easier. You want some browning but not too much burning.
Hi Amanda! I caught your recipe a couple weeks ago on the homepage of this site and you totally get the importance of mac-n-cheese. The balance of cheese, crunch and flavor! I combined your two recipes together and I'm looking forward to adapting a little further... Amazing recipe! YUM :)
Kyle
http://thegirlkyle.com/2011/07/25/if-im-cooking-then-were-in-trouble/
Amanda, if you want them to be even more crispy, you could add some tiny pasta, such as crumbled vermicelly, on the top layer. I would just soak them in milk for a while prior to cooking so they remain spiky for sprinkling.
I normally make a bechamel for my mac and cheese. Any thoughts on how that might work here?
I'd try it -- just spread your normal mac and cheese mixture on a baking sheet. Let me know how it turns out.
Anita is a vegan pastry chef & founder of Electric Blue Baking Co. in Brooklyn.
added about 1 year agowhat a great idea for a recipe. This just gave me an idea for mashed potatoes with a crispy top. My favorite part of mashed potatoes is when you spread it in a casserole dish and put it in the oven so the top gets browned and crispy!
I love that part of mashed potatoes, too. Good idea.
Lilygibbs, thank you so much for asking your question, or I'd perhaps never stumbled across this wonderful-looking recipe!
Hi Amanda,
I made this for supper tonight but I think I goofed with the amount of pasta called for in the recipe:)! The conversion from grams to pounds might have been the problem....I only used 2 cups of dried macaroni cooked for 6 minutes and it was definitely not enough to fill the baking sheet correctly. Next time I'll have to add more but it was well received by my family eventhough the baking sheet will have to be scrubbed really well to get all the cheese off the bottom....again not enough pasta I think to soak up the cheese. I thoroughly enjoy your website and hope it continues long after the 52 weeks are up!
yum. that looks perfect. definitely need to try that out this week! perfect weeknight meal and mixes things up for my child who will only eat things that are white and cheesy.
Amanda- i really like this idea. i sort of feel the same way about gnocchi, which is why i cant eat it, there is no 'crunch', just pillowy-softness. i do love the addition of cayenne in your recipe.
Thank you -- I think cayenne is a great and sort of forgotten ingredient.
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
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So many good things: spiraled pasta, whole milk, butter, cheddar (two types) and cayenne.
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Smearing the sheet pan with butter: as fun as it looks.
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Grating the cheese on a box-grater.
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We love the feel of grated cheese.
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In goes the pasta to boil for six minutes before it's mixed with the cheese and baked off.
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Ready for action.
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All components tossed together, Amanda spreads the cheesy pasta in a layer the depth of the baking sheet.
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But hold the milk -- it gets poured over at the the end.
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Fight for the corner -- it's worth it.
Good recipe for a quick Mac and cheese. Agreed that the Parmesan helps to ad se more saltiness to this dish. Didn't do the parchment paper but learned a voluble lesson. Will definitely make again.