Happy 2022! After a little hiatus and R&R (well our version of it, which involved a mountain hiking vacation, which was neither restful nor relaxing, but great all the same), we are back! To kick off this year’s slate of recipes, we figured we’d start with a fun twist on a classic Comfort Food. So, we turned our attention to Mac and Cheese and built from there.
A week or so prior to making this, we visited Cheese of the World in Queens, NY and picked up a solid stash of their glorious dairy product…and one wedge of cheese we purchased was a Pesto Gouda. Gouda happens to be one of our favourite cheeses because of how well it melts and how creamy it is. Thus, we figured it would make for the perfect Mac and Cheese. We weren’t quite as sure about how the pesto would incorporate itself into the dish, but we pressed forward anyway and boldly went where some men (and women) have probably gone before. The result was a delicious side dish with a bit of nuance and complexity that delighted everyone!
We opted to go all in on the pesto idea and serve this with “Presto Pesto Pulled Turkey!”
Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Pasta of your choice. We used tricolour rotini because it gave our dish a little extra colour, and rotini does a really nice job of trapping the cheese and becoming evenly coated.
- Pesto Gouda
- Milk. You want about 4 oz of milk for every half pound of dry pasta.
- 1-2 Tablespoons of Butter
- All Purpose Flour – Equal quantity as your Butter
- Optional: Black Pepper
Method:
- Bring a pot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil. Then, add your pasta, and cook until it is soft.
- As your pasta cooks, cut your cheese into cubes (or grate it).
- When your pasta is ready, drain the water, and set it aside.
- Make your Roux in a large pot by melting your butter, and then whisking in your flour to combine. Then, let sit for a minute or so.
- Add your milk, and whisk it with your roux to form a smooth base for your sauce.
- Add your cheese to your pot, and whisk or stir as it melts, and your cheese sauce thickens.
- Scoop your cooked pasta into the pot, and stir to coat and combine. If using, add some black pepper, and stir it in as well.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
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