Gourmet Macaroni Cheese by Allyson Gofton
Description
I’ve never been a fan of the typical macaroni cheese, probably because it was not on the menu as a kid. I was raised in a traditional 1960s home where we were more likely to have shepherd’s pie than pasta dishes. But once I dreamed up this idea of taking macaroni cheese to the next level, replacing the white sauce with cream, eggs and quality Parmesan, well, I was converted. A plucky little crumble of all things deli – sun dried tomatoes, olives, capers and basil – scattered on top before serving makes this a heavenly version of macaroni cheese.
Scale
Ingredients
- 150–200 grams macaroni or penne pasta
- 3 eggs
- 1½ cups cream or mascarpone
- 1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped black olives
- ¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes or capsicums
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ¼ cup pesto
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease a 6-cup capacity ovenproof lasagne-style dish.
- 2. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes until al-dente. (The pasta will not soften further once it is mixed with the eggs and cream, so ensure it is tender at this stage). Drain and scatter into the prepared dish.
- 3. In large a bowl, beat together the eggs, cream or mascarpone and cheese and season well with salt and pepper. Scatter the pasta into the prepared dish and pour over the cream filling.
- 4. Place in a water bath (bain marie) and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until almost set.
- 5. Toss together the olives, sundried tomatoes or capsicums, basil or parsley and capers. Sprinkle over the top before serving. Dollop the pesto around and serve hot with a crisp leafy salad and/or a plate of sliced juicy tomatoes dressed with salt, pepper and a little olive oil.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
For more recipes by Allyson Gofton visit www.allysongofton.co.nz