No Box Mac and Cheese

In the Netherlands, macaroni is a far way off from the much loved Fattis and Monis pasta I have grown up to know and love. The pasta is incredibly small and one of the cutest things I have ever seen, at first I was uncertain about this so I steered clear but like most things once my mom came to visit and I tasted her fine rendition of my childhood favorite, I was persuaded to try something new. To prove my point I have added an image.

This has always been a favorite for me, growing up my mom always made it and I always loved it. Needless to say it is a staple in any home. While we have all grown up watching movies where the beloved Mac and Cheese is something we see made from a box, this naturally seemed off to me.

In the Netherlands, in many of the expats stores I noticed that Mac and Cheese is extremely popular bought in a box, there are multiple brands, multiple flavors and it ranges in price range as well. As you can imagine , the moment my kids see their favorite YouTubers trying these , it immediately becomes a must have. As much as I love my kids, this is a complete non-starter for me.

I love this meal because it takes 20 minutes to prepare and is relatively straight forward , and can be made from 5 ingredients which can be found in most households. It is also incredibly cheap to make, and this way can feed any amount of people.

A disclaimer, given the energy(electricity) prices in the Netherlands, I no longer prepare this the traditional way of my mom with the cheese melted on the top and imitate the box without actually using it. This is a good meal for kids, mine usually eat it with a little to no hesitation and can be a one pot meal so my husband is particularly fond of it as well.

As most of my reciepes , you will find that this one is easy to make and takes minimal time. Feel free to add and remove ingredients as you see fit.

South African Ingredients

• 500g of macaroni or penne pasta

• 50g of butter

• 1 tablespoon of salt

• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of corn starch

• 1 & 1/2 cups of milk

• One cup of grated cheese

• 1/2 tablespoon of pepper

Netherlands Ingredients:

• 500g of macaroni or penne pasta

• 50g of butter

• 1 tablespoon of salt

• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of corn starch

• 1 & 1/2 cups of milk

• One cup of grated cheese

• 1/2 tablespoon of pepper

Instructions:

1. Boil your macaroni in some water with a pinch of salt and some oil.

   Note: It has been researched that adding salt to the water does not actually make it boil any faster but instead is typically used only for the taste.

   
   

2. In a separate pot, or when your macaroni is done boiling add the butter, salt and corn starch to a pot and mix it together.

   

   
   

3. Once it is nicely mixed, as per the picture above add the milk and pepper to the pot. Whisking until it thickens. This process usually takes about 5-7 minutes for me, but cooking on a gas stove is much quicker and therefore it may take longer on a conventional stove.

   

   
   

4. Once you see the mixture thickening, add in the cheese.

   

   
   

5. Cook this for 5 minutes, until you get a nice sticky consistency. I have added a picture of the consistency below. I have used mozarella cheese for this version, but if you use a cheddar or gouda, expect that the consistency may be slightly thicker and more orange in color. I usually add three tablespoons of my pasta water in just to get a better texture.

   
   

   

   
   

6. Add the cooked pasta to the mixture stirring it well into the sauce.

   

   
   

Variations:

Types of Cheese

I love any type of cheese, but my kids are very picky eaters. I therefore prefer the mozzarella or cheddar as this usually leads to less concerns from the masses. Feel free to use any cheese of your choice.

Vegan Friendly Options

This meal is vegetarian but is not vegan. Adaptations made to suit vegans can be vegan milk and cheese as an alternative. This does change the taste. This is not my favorite vegan pasta, and there are many more adaptations of pastas where vegetables can be incorporated into the sauce rather than milk and cheese.

Hope you enjoy it!