Sometimes it needs to crunch, you know? (courtesy of Homeroom restaurant’s The Mac + Cheese Cookbook )
Make Mac 'N' Cheese pancakes.
Via: Sara Remington
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried small elbow pasta
1/2 cup Mac Sauce (recipe below)
1 cup grated cheese
(Cheddar is classic, but any other favorite cheese will also work)
1 large egg
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Drink pairing: Mimosas or Bloody Marys
PREPARATION
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until a little less than al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain the pasta again.
Mix the sauce, cheese, and egg together in a bowl. Add the cooked pasta and stir together until evenly mixed. Place the panko bread crumbs in a separate bowl.
Place about 2 tablespoons of the mac mixture in the bowl of panko. Gently roll it around in the panko to form a ball that is fully coated with bread crumbs. It is a little hard to work with, but don't worry, it doesn't need to be perfect — it's about to be flattened out into a pancake!
Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat, and butter the pan generously. Place the ball of mac and cheese on the pan, and press it down with the back of the spatula until it flattens out into a thick pancake (not too thin, or it will break apart). Repeat with enough pancakes spaced at least 1 inch apart to fill the griddle or skillet.
Cook the pancakes on one side until brown and crispy, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook the other side until brown and crispy, another 2 minutes. Transfer the pancakes from the griddle to a serving plate. Repeat, adding more butter as needed, until all the pancakes have been cooked.
Eat the pancakes as soon as they are ready for maximum crispiness and cheesy gooeyness.
Make Mac 'N' Cheese for breakfast.
Via: Sara Remington
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound dried elbow pasta
1/2 pound sliced bacon
2 cups Mac Sauce (recipe below)
2 cups grated extra-sharp, aged Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
Beer Pairing: IPA
Wine Pairing: Rosé
PREPARATION
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until a little less than al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain the pasta again.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cook the bacon in a frying pan over high heat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove extra grease by patting the strips with a paper towel, and then cut into bite-size pieces.
Add the sauce and cheese to a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat. Stir until the cheese is barely melted, about 3 minutes. Add the bacon and stir to combine. Slowly add the cooked pasta, stir, and continue cooking while stirring continuously until the dish is nice and hot, another 5 minutes.
Spoon the mac and cheese into 4 individual, 5-inch-diameter ovenproof bowls. Sprinkle the panko evenly on top of each bowl. Bake until bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes.
While the macs are cooking, fry the eggs: Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Crack 2 of the eggs into the pan, cover, and let cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes. The eggs are done when all the egg white is completely opaque, and the yolk is still nice and bright. Slide the eggs onto a plate and repeat with the remaining tablespoon of butter and 2 eggs.
Remove the macs from the oven, and slide a fried egg on top of each one. Top each egg with some black pepper. Serve immediately.
