When I originally started research for the Macaroni and Cheese topic, I was going to post the recipe that I first made at age 16! I’m still posting – it is standard recipe as far as technique is concerned and it is just so, so good. But the mac and cheese research falls into so many stories about Thomas Jefferson’s relationship to it, some getting the story so wrong (as if he were a chef) so that’s the rabbit hill I’m going down for some reality. Mostly, though, to provide a sense of early methods which I hope you’ll try – they’re very different! So, first up is my own recipe.
MY MACARONI AND CHEESE
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter
Dash pepper
Prepare macaroni according to package directions. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in saucepan. Pour in milk and stir. Add flour, salt and pepper and stir well until thick and bubbly. Add cheese; fold and stir until melted. Mix well with macaroni and pour into casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Monticello’s Macaroni
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
1 pound elbow macaroni
3 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese or a mixture of Colby and Cheddar
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), sliced
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt and 2 cups milk. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook, stirring frequently so the liquid doesn't boil over, until the liquid is mostly absorbed and pasta is very soft, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain. Transfer half of the cooked macaroni to the prepared baking dish. Top with half the cheese and dot with half the butter. Repeat with the remaining pasta, cheese and butter. Drizzle the remaining ½ cup milk over the top. Cover with foil and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
Macaroni Pie
From the original Monticello cookbook per Jeff Smith in The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American
2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
Salt
1/4 pound yellow of white cheese
1/4 lb. butter, melted
Boil the pasta in salted water until barely tender. Drain. Mix with the cheese and butter and place in a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serves 5-6.
MAC AND CHEESE
1 pound elbow pasta
1 bay leaf
salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
1 1/2 cups Gruyere, grated *
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
pinch nutmeg
salt and white pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and set aside. In a saucepan heat the milk with the bay leaf, but don't boil it! Remove the bay leaf. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until smooth. Whisk in the warm milk and cook, continuing to whisk often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese, one cup at a time and whisk until the cheese is melted and incorporated. Whisk in the mustard, pinch of nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat and stir in the reserved pasta and serve. Serves 6 to 8.
* If you don’t have Gruyere feel free to use any other type of Swiss cheese or just use 4 1/2 cups cheddar cheese.
THOMAS JEFFERSON MACARONI & CHEESE RECIPE
16 ounces large elbow macaroni
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (packed) freshly shredded Parmesan
2 cups (packed) grated mozzarella
2 cups (packed) Romano cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the noodles until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse. In a large bowl, whisk the milk, flour, salt and pepper until blended. Stir in 1 ½ cup Parmesan, 1 ½ cup mozzarella and 1 ½ cup Romano cheese. Add the noodles and butter and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan, mozzarella and Romano cheese over the noodle mixture. Bake until the cheese begins to lightly brown on top, about 12-14 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.
MACARONI
Finally, a screenshot of the macaroni recipe from the first published cookbook, The Virginia Housewife by Mary Randolph. As a note, her father was raised by Thomas Jefferson’s parents when he became an orphan as they were distant relatives. Additionally, Mary Randolph was the sister of Thomas Mann Randolph, who was the son-in-law of Thomas Jefferson.
Public Domain images