Old School Comfort. Mac and cheese, Baby.
One of the first recipes I shared here on Gluten-Free Goddess was our old school, homemade, family style mac and cheese recipe. I won’t mention how long ago that was, or how old the recipe actually is, darling. I first learned to make it in eighth grade Home Ec class (does Home Economics still exist? Do they even teach cooking in middle school any more?). Aside from these ponderings, and the unnerving sensation of years advancing, rolling, as Warren Zevon says, like a rockslide down a hill, I’ve been craving this simple mac and cheese like mad lately.
So I thought I’d post our latest version of it. Seems like old fashioned comfort food is the medicine I need lately.
Maybe you do, too?
Karina’s Homemade Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese
The trick with cooking gluten-free pasta is to not over-boil it- keep it a touch al dente, as it continues to cook in the oven. Our current favorite pasta to use is Barilla Gluten-Free Penne.
Ingredients:
12 oz. dry gluten-free elbow macaroni, penne, or spirals
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded medium sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 – 1 teaspoon gluten-free dijon mustard, to taste
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Smoked Paprika for sprinkling on top
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the gluten-free pasta just until it is tender to the bite, but undercooked slightly. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it quickly under cold water. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat, and stir in the rice flour (I like to use a whisk to do this). Cook and stir the flour for about 10 seconds, then slowly add in the milk, whisking to blend the flour paste and milk (called a roux).
Bring the mixture to a bubble (it will thicken as it heats) then reduce the heat to low. Add the shredded cheddar cheese, dijon mustard, salt and pepper, and nutmeg and stir well.
Continue stirring the sauce slowly until the cheddar melts, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a 6-cup baking dish, combine the cooked penne with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with smoked paprika.
Bake at 350º F for 20-25 minutes, until heated through, and bubbling around the edges.
Serves 4.
Idea:
If you’d like to make this a one-dish supper, add 3/4 cup of frozen petite peas to the pasta water when you add the penne, and cook the peas along with the pasta.
Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission from Gluten-Free Goddess®. Thank you.