The most classic American Kids’ dish which an Italian would not touch and the Swiss claim their own with a twist calling it Alper Maccaroni.
Ingredients
- 4 cups dried macaroni
- 1 whole egg
- 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
- 1 pound sharp Cheddar, grated (not pre-grated cheese), plus more for baking
- Salt
- Seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the macaroni until still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg.
- In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.
- Pour in the milk, add the mustard and whisk until smooth.
- Cook until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Whisk together until smooth.
- Pour the egg into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
- Add in the cheese and stir to melt.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and the pepper. Add any additional spices if desired. Taste the sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
- Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
Serve immediately (while it’s still very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
