Ida's Baked Macaroni and Cheese
A Comfort Food Staple From Chef Frank Pellegrino
Frank Pellegrino of New York's famous Rao's restaurant, joined Good Morning America to share the latest recipes from his new book, "Rao's: Recipes From The Neighborhood." For more information on Rao's, go to www.raos.com
My mother, Ida, used to make her baked macaroni and cheese once a month. My brother and I would count down the days in anticipation. The two of us could eat the whole dish ourselves. This may not be strictly Italian cooking, but it's too good not to include.
Ingredients
Cooking Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Melt 1 stick of butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the milk and cook until heated through. Add the cheese gradually, stirring constantly, until it is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Place the macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to coat the macaroni evenly.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top of the mixture is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Let the macaroni sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe excerpted from "Rao's: Recipes From The Neighborhood," by Frank Pellegrino, St. Martin's Press, copyright 2004.
Recipe Summary
Main Ingredients: cheese, elbow maccaroni, butter, milk
Course: Casserole, Dinner, Main Course, Lunch, Pasta, Starch
More Info: Vegetarian
