Macaroni and cheese was born in Italy. Since Italy is the land of pasta, that’s not very surprising. But did you know that an American president was the first to bring mac and cheese here? In the 1800s Thomas Jefferson tried macaroni and cheese on a trip to Europe and brought a hand-written recipe back to the White House.
Recipe tip: Make sure to use thinly sliced American cheese from the deli section of your grocery store in this recipe, not individually wrapped cheese “singles” — they are made from different ingredients.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients2 cups elbow macaroni (8 ounces)
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
8 to 10 thin slices deli American cheese, torn into small pieces (4 ounces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
Directions1. Heat and Mix: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. In an 8-inch square glass baking dish, toss together macaroni, cheddar, American cheese, cornstarch, mustard and salt.
2. Add Liquid: Pour water and milk over macaroni mixture.
3. Bake: Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake until macaroni is tender, about 35 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven and place on a cooling rack.
4. Stir: Uncover and carefully stir mixture together until it looks creamy (dish will be hot!), about 1 minute. Stir in peas (if using). Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir again before serving.
