Anthony Bourdain’s Baked Macaroni
Posted: January 27, 2012 Filed under: Pasta Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes | Tags: cheese, food, pasta, recipes, vegetarian 1 Comment
I have never made/baked macaroni this way. I usually make a bechemel type sauce, add shredded cheddar cheese to make a creamy cheese sauce to mix with cooked macaroni (I usually also toss in steamed broccoli or cauliflower too). I almost never bake my macaroni. Anyway, I wanted to try this method. I cut this recipe out of some magazine years ago and saved it because I enjoy Anthony Bourdain’s shows (A Cook’s Tour and No Reservations) and books. The recipe was easy to put together, but I thought it turned out kinda greasy, dry, and lacking flavor. I didn’t really care for the crunchiness of the mac either. It just wasn’t what I am used to. So, I will stick to my version of macaroni and cheese which always turns out creamy and excellent.
Anthony Bourdain’s Baked Macaroni
1 lb macaroni, such as elbow or penne
3/4 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
16 ounces (about 4 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 T. butter
1 quart (4 cups of whole milk
Cook pasta in boiling water 3 to 5 minutes less than package directs. Drain well.
Meanwhile heat oven 400 degrees and grease a 13 X 9-inch baking dish.
Spread about 1/3 of the pasta in the prepared dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, some pepper, and 1/3 of the cheese. Dot with 1/2 T. butter. Repeat layers twice, dotting the top layer with 1 T. butter. Don’t tamp down the pasta; it will make the dish too dense. Pour milk over top.
Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how crisp you like the top.
Recipes for Sustenance 
I bake mac for holidays, and my family swears by it, its creamy and only crunchy at the top. I use at least six types of cheese – normally eight, half and half instead of milk, two to three eggs, kosher salt and pepper, four pats of butter and the like. and you should use a deeper pan and not one as long (did that make sense?) any who.. i enjoy your blog, and will be back again!