Black Truffle Mac ‘n Cheese
By The Vegetarian Environmentalist
I’ve always loved mac ‘n cheese, but have only made the from-scratch version relatively recently. It’s like a whole other experience than the boxed kind - and oh so much better. As a vegetarian, it’s a great, filling main-dish option for me and the hungry carnivores I’m serving.
Last year I found this divine truffle mac ‘n cheese at a local bistro; the problem is that they only have it on rare occasions, and I haven’t been able to get it again! So I decided to try and make my own. I’ve never cooked with truffle anything before, but after a little research, it looked like truffle butter would be an easy (and inexpensive) way to incorporate it. I tried with both white and black truffle butters, and much preferred Epicurean’s Black Truffle Butter.
The first step in any mac ‘n cheese endeavor (in my opinion) is to grate the cheese. I used Emmi - Roth Käse USA Gruyère, BelGioioso Fontina, and Wisconsin Organics Sharp Cheddar. I added the Fontina to help tone down the stronger flavors of the Gruyère and Cheddar, and I think it worked beautifully. The little bit of mustard, too, adds just enough tanginess to round out the flavors of the dish.
A good next step is to get the milk heating. Once it’s in the pot, set it on medium-high heat and just stir it occasionally. You definitely don’t want it to boil, just to warm evenly throughout so that it can help melt the cheese once everything is combined.
Now get the water for the pasta boiling. Add a pinch of salt to flavor the water, then cover it to speed up boiling. The gemelli I used called for 7 minutes of cooking, so I took it out after about 5 minutes - you want there to be a slight chewiness still, so the pasta doesn’t get too mushy after it’s been baked. I also rinsed it off with a bit of cold water to stop the cooking and to rinse off any excess starch.
The most intensive part of the mac ‘n cheese process is creating the flour-butter mixture - just keep stirring. I dropped the truffle butter in the pan, let it melt, then added the flour slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon. The idea is to let it keep heating and thickening before adding the milk, then let it heat and thicken even more.
I used a wire whisk to incorporate the milk. Once it’s come to the desired thickness, mix in the mustard, then add to a large bowl with the grated cheese (and enjoy the fantastic smell!). Mix until the cheese is melted, then add the drained pasta and mix well. Spread into 13×9-inch casserole dish.
As for the topping, I think the bread crumbs are an integral part to any mac ‘n cheese dish, and are used more than ever in this recipe simply because of the combination of creamy smooth cheese and crunchy, flavorful crumbs. Hopefully you get both in every bite. After toasting, and buttering, I did a rough chop before tossing in the food processor and adding a dash of garlic salt. Once they’re crumby, spread generously over the cheesy pasta and get ‘er in the oven!
Once it’s done, you’ll want to let it rest for just a minute or two before serving. Mac ‘n cheese tends to cool down quickly, so it’s important to get it while it’s hot. I serve it with a light salad (like my Arugula Salad) to offset the richness of the cheesy pasta. Enjoy!
Black Truffle Mac ‘n Cheese
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 pound short-cut pasta, such as gemelli
3 slices rye bread
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 quart whole milk
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) black truffle butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown mustard
3 cups (12 ounces) Wisconsin Gruyère Cheese, grated
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar, grated
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Fontina, grated
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Prepare pasta according to package directions, removing it from the water a minute or two before cooking time to make sure it’s appropriately al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, toast the rye bread slices. When finished, lightly butter toast, then coarsely chop and put in the food processor. Add garlic salt and pulse until bread is crumby. Set aside.
Empty the quart of milk into a large saucepan and warm over medium-high heat; stirring occasionally. In another large saucepan, melt the truffle butter over medium-high heat. When melted, stir in the flour.
Cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until butter and flour are thick and creamy. Slowly begin whisking in the hot milk until you have one great white sauce, then add the mustard and stir to combine.
Pour mixture into a large bowl with Gruyère, Cheddar and Fontina, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper; then add drained pasta. Mix well and transfer into a 13×9-inch casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
Labels: Cheddar, Fontina, Gruyère, Macaroni & Cheese, Recipe, Wisconsin Cheese
