Whooo, boy. I made dinner over an hour ago and I’m still saying to Seth, “Really - that was really good! It was good, right? I mean, really good? It was good.”
It seems so obvious - mixing two of my favorite pasta sauces together and dumping them on some noodles. But, in this case, I think the sum is greater than it’s parts. I think I’ve found my new awesome fantastic dish to serve people so they’ll think I’m super. I’m almost reluctant to share it, but then, it’s so good, you really ought to be able to have it.
Okay folks, here it is: Macaroni and Cheese with Pesto. That’s it!
Granted, when I say Macaroni and Cheese, I don’t mean the blue box. No, sirree! I mean a home-made mac and cheese. I personally fall in the bechamel/stovetop camp, and I think in this case, especially, the creamier sauce-style dish works better than an oven-baked custard style. Basically, make your roux and then (this is important!) add heavy or whipping cream. Really, 2% or skim isn’t going to cut it. Then add some American (I know! It’s a travesty! But really, the taste works here, I promise), sharp Cheddar (see? I redeem myself), and Parmesan cheese (ooooh! It’s a three-cheese party now!), and mix until creamy. Now, dump in an obscene amount of Pesto. No, really. That spoonful you’ve got there? Not enough. No - more. More. Oooookay, now you’re about there. Taste it real quick. Good? Eh, it could probably use a little more pesto.
Stir the cheese and pesto into some pasta (I used Radiatori - lots of nooks and crannys for the sauce!), add a little salt and pepper if you want, and holy moly is it good.
My macaroni and cheese varies a little everytime I make it, and the variation is always dictated by a few things. First, the cheese - American, Cheddar and Parmesan were what I had in the fridge. I’ve made it in the past with farmer’s cheese, white queso, Gruyere, Havarti, whatever. It’s all good, really. Second - I’m lazy. I can’t be bothered to measure the butter or the flour or the milk when I make the bechamel. I do it by feel and smell and the way it looks. I used to measure and time it carefully, getting out my Joy of Cooking every time. But then I moved to Taiwan, and that was one of many books that didn’t make the trip with me. So, you know, look up a recipe if you need to, as long as it’s a bechamel with cheese you like, you can’t go wrong. Third, the pasta! Any shape will do in a pinch, but I find that I take a special delight in eating my mac and cheese when it’s not just a boring tube of macaroni. I mean, I call it mac and cheese, but that’s so you know what I’m talking about, not because it’s actually macaroni. Spiral shapes are probably my favorite, but this radiatori may be surging ahead of the spirals and spiral variations.
Oh! And although I may by raked over the coals for this one, you don’t need fresh pesto. I mean, really? In January? If you’re living in the northern hemisphere, have fun with that one. Besides, fresh pesto is best tossed with some bowties on a summer evening, when you’re really craving the flavor of green. As a component, the just-chopped and blended freshness is probably lost. Don’t get some completely crap canned pesto or anything, but a decent prepared pesto will do the trick - mine comes from Costco.
Oh, my - American cheese and commercially made pesto from Costco. And still, it was good enough that I’m still thinking about it (and trying to taste it still on my tongue) almost one and a half hours later. Truly, this was swoon-worthy pasta. Go make yourself some.
*Radiators with cheese and pesto. Pasta always sounds better in Italian, doesn’t it?