Macaroni Pie
Serves: 6 to 8
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces thin spaghetti
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar or cheddar-Monterey Jack blend cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, if desired
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 2-quart casserole. Place the dish in the oven to melt while the oven heats. Once melted, remove the dish from the oven and turn to coat the bottom and sides of the pan with butter.
Break the spaghetti into thirds, making each piece about 3 inches long. Set aside. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with salt. Stir in the spaghetti, and continue to stir until the water comes back to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, and cook until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander. Add the remaining butter to the now-empty pot, and toss the spaghetti to coat in the butter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Whisk in the mustard and cayenne, and season with salt and pepper. Place half of the spaghetti in the buttered casserole. Ladle on half of the egg and mixture mixture. Sprinkle half of the cheddar over the top. Repeat, adding the remaining spaghetti to the dish, ladling in the rest of the egg and milk mixture, and top with the remaining cheddar and all of the Parmesan.
Bake until the custard is set, 30 to 35 minutes. If desired, turn on the broiler, and lightly brown the top, about 30 seconds. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve while warm.
Anne Byrn, a bestselling cookbook author and writer, is the former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and author of the popular Cake Mix Doctor series and most recently, American Cake. Her newest book, American Cookie, is available from Southern Kitchen. Visit her at AnneByrn.com.
Serves: 6 to 8
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces thin spaghetti
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar or cheddar-Monterey Jack blend cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, if desired
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 2-quart casserole. Place the dish in the oven to melt while the oven heats. Once melted, remove the dish from the oven and turn to coat the bottom and sides of the pan with butter.
Break the spaghetti into thirds, making each piece about 3 inches long. Set aside. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with salt. Stir in the spaghetti, and continue to stir until the water comes back to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, and cook until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander. Add the remaining butter to the now-empty pot, and toss the spaghetti to coat in the butter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Whisk in the mustard and cayenne, and season with salt and pepper. Place half of the spaghetti in the buttered casserole. Ladle on half of the egg and mixture mixture. Sprinkle half of the cheddar over the top. Repeat, adding the remaining spaghetti to the dish, ladling in the rest of the egg and milk mixture, and top with the remaining cheddar and all of the Parmesan.
Bake until the custard is set, 30 to 35 minutes. If desired, turn on the broiler, and lightly brown the top, about 30 seconds. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve while warm.
