There’s a cheese store about 2 hours north of my house called Renard’s. I first learned about this particular place on a trip with friends, and as a result, I haven’t been able to go that direction without stopping.
The same friend that added Renard’s to our travel path (without asking!!) made me aware of a certain cheese they sell – Terrific Trio. She said it was THE CHEESE to use for Mac and Cheese. Which meant I needed to find a recipe…
Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Medium Pot
- 1 Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb Dried tubular noodles Such as Cavatappi, Elbows, Bucatini, etc.
- ¼ c unsalted butter
- ½ c all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 c milk
- 1¼ c heavy cream
- 2 c shredded cheese such as sharp cheddar, Mozzarella, Renard's Terrific Trio, or mixture of cheeses
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook noodles in boiling salted water, until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ of water, then drain and set aside.
- In the medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat until it is no longer foaming. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper, and cook until it loses its flour smell, approximately 2 minutes.
- Slowly add milk and heavy cream, whisking to combine. Bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to low, and add in cheese, stirring until melted.
- Add pasta to the cheese mixture and toss to combine. Add reserved pasta water by the teaspoon full until the desired consistency is achieved. Let sit 5 minutes to thicken, if desired.
Notes
My friend, CS, has talked about making mac and cheese with this particular cheese, but her methods usually involve the oven. Having grown up with the Kraft version (a staple of my childhood), anything that has to use the oven is crazy-talk, and too much effort.
Which is why I decided I needed to find something that was made on the stovetop. Surely that would make it easier, right?
True enough, it’s a pretty simple recipe. Noodles (cavatappi are fun!), butter, flour, cream, milk, and cheese!
The trio is a mixture of white cheddar, parmesan, and gouda was a good fit – strong enough to hold its own as a cheesy sauce. I’m kind of thinking that I need to thin out the sauce a little bit. Next time, I think. That being said, MM has been enjoying the leftovers as a side, so I think we’ve found a new recipe to continue.
Though I may ask CS for her baked mac and cheese recipe, if she’s willing to share… I did share the Enchilada Soup recipe a while ago. Maybe that’s a fair trade?
How about you – what’s your favorite Mac and Cheese?