60134
minutesingredientsservings

Ingredients

  • 500g cavatappi or elbow pasta
  • 200g mozzarella
  • 200g feta
  • 100g cheddar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • salt to taste
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups pasta water
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 ½ tbsp flour
  • parmesan (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C with the skillet inside
  2. Shred the cheese and mix together. Crack the eggs into it, mix and set aside
  3. Boil the pasta until al dente, keep the water and do not drain, set aside
  4. Combine the garlic powder, paprika, pepper and salt. Take the skillet out of the oven, add ¼ of the pasta water, the olive oil, the seasoning and stir until aromatic
  5. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk and the rest of the pasta water, whisking. When it bubbles, add the the mustard and stir until it thickens
  6. Add ⅔ of the cheese in small batches until it is fully melted
  7. Add the pasta and stir until it is all incorporated. Add the remaining cheese on top, sprinkle a layer of parmesan, and bake at least 20 minutes or until golden.

Note

My baked macaroni recipe is indulgent, but not too much. It combines South-East European style baked macaroni (which uses egg and feta for flavour and binding) with American mac & cheese which relies on roux and a variety of cheeses. The amount of cheese typically used in American mac & cheese is double the amount in this recipe, and the end result is usually quite liquid, but by reducing the amount of cheese and adding egg as a binder, it is less indulgent and also holds its shape better. If you add parmesan, this turns into a 4 cheese dish.