Time:
30 minutes
Mac and
Cheese
The pasta and sauce come together right in the skillet.
I
am no stranger to mac and cheese from
a box. And I’m no stranger to recipes
that take an hour in the oven. But there
is certainly a place for something you
make from scratch but is ready in less than
30 minutes on the stovetop.
So many recipes would have you boil the
macaroni in one pot and make the sauce
in another. But why not cook the macaroni
right in the skillet in the first place?
INGREDIENTS
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3⁄4 cup evaporated milk
1⁄2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
11⁄2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 Fill the skillet two-thirds full of water,
add the salt, and bring to a boil over
medium-high heat.
106  Will It Skillet?
Yield: Serves 2
2 Add the macaroni, turn the heat to
medium, and cook, stirring occasionally,
until just shy of al dente. This should take
about 10 minutes, but check the pasta
package for recommended cooking times
and aim for the lower end if a range is
given. (The macaroni will continue to cook
a bit in the sauce.) When the macaroni is
ready, biting into a piece should reveal a
very thin core of uncooked pasta.
3 Drain the macaroni and return it to the
skillet. Turn the heat to low. Add the butter
and stir until it melts.
4 Add the evaporated milk, mustard, and
cayenne and stir well to combine. Add the
cheese in three batches, stirring frequently
as each batch is added and waiting until
the cheese has melted before adding the
next batch. After about 5 minutes total,
the sauce will be smooth and noticeably
thicker.
5 Serve hot. Leftovers can be refrigerated
in a covered container for up to 2 days.