Macaroni In The Oven:

• 1 Tablespoon of Butter
• 1 Tablespoon of Flour
• 1 Cup of Whole Milk
• Sea Salt
• Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• Nutmeg
• Parmesan Cheese
• About 1 1/2 cups of Pasta. (I used Rotini)

Serves 1-2

This is my special version of macaroni and cheese.  I simply call it macaroni in the oven because that’s what my Mom always called this dish, and I can’t think of it any other way.  Instead of just a cheesy sauce, I make this with bechamel sauce.  A cream sauce that’s mixed with parmesan cheese, and the nutty-ness of nutmeg.  

Boil some water for your pasta.

In a sauce pan on low heat, melt the butter.  Once melted, add the flour.  Mix together with a wooden spoon.  You will create a beige paste that’s called a roux.  This is what will thicken your sauce.  Cook it for about 30 second, mixing constantly to get out the raw flour taste.  Once it’s at a nice golden color, add the milk little by little mixing with a whisk.  You’ll notice the milk with instantly become thick, just keep whisking and adding milk.  Make sure there are no lumps.  

Once all the milk is in, and you have a nice creamy consistency of the sauce, season to your liking with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Add about 2 tablespoon of parmesan cheese to your bechamel sauce, and mix together.  Your sauce is done.

Cook your pasta al dente.  Strain pasta, and mix in with the sauce.  Taste it at this point, if you feel it needs more cheese, or salt and pepper, now is the time.  Place you creamy pasta into a small casserole dish.  Grate a nice thick layer of parmesan cheese on top, and broil in the oven till the cheese has melted and is golden.  And you’ve got your self some fancy mac n’ cheese.  

You can experiment a lot with this dish.  By using different pastas, by adding veggies to it such as, peas, or cherry tomatoes.  You could mix in cooked bacon a la Dumont style.  You could mix in different cheeses into the sauce, like gruyere.  But promise me no cheddar cheese! 

Enjoy!