By Sam Sifton
- Total Time
- About 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(764)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This is a dish that originated in ‘‘The Escoffier Cookbook’’ as a ‘‘garnish’’ for lamb chops: macaroni and cheese, essentially, for fancy people. It serves well as a main dish, though, particularly if you double the recipe. Escoffier added both truffles and tongue to the mix, and you can, too, though it is hardly necessary. Serve with a salad if not lamb chops, and give thanks for the old ways.
Featured in: Mac and Cheese for Fancy People
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings.
- ½ pound dried macaroni pasta, or cavatelli, gemelli, even ziti
- 4thin slices ham, about 2 ounces, cut into thin ribbons
- 3 or 4small mushrooms, ideally wild, sliced thin
- 2tablespoons tomato purée
- 2tablespoons Madeira
- 3tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 3tablespoons grated Gruyère cheese
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
372 calories; 13 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 336 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Set a large pot of heavily salted water over high heat, and allow it to come to a boil.
Step
2
Add the pasta to the water, and cook it until it is just shy of tender, according to the instructions on the box.
Step
3
Meanwhile, put the ham, mushrooms and tomato purée in a small sauté pan, and pour the Madeira over the top. Cook over medium heat until the liquid has reduced to a glaze, the ham is heated through and the mushrooms are beginning to brown. Turn the heat off under the pan, and set aside.
Step
4
Reserve a cup of the pasta water, and drain the pasta well. Return the pasta to the pot, then add the cheeses and butter, and stir to combine. Add the seasonings, and stir some more, adding, if necessary, a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen the pasta and help melt the cheeses. Add the mushroom mixture, and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning. Serve with salad, or as a ‘‘garnish’’ for roasted or sautéed lamb.
Ratings
4
out of 5
764
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Cooking Notes
Susan
This is a favorite main course for us; we triple the amount of mushroom. This should not have salt added at any stage: pasta cooks fine without it, and the meat and cheese add flavor and lots of sodium on their own. The recipe adapts well to what we have on hand (bacon can replace ham, red wine can replace Madeira, and in a pinch Muenster can replace Gruyere). Freshly grated nutmeg is essential.
kks
Prosciutto works, too.
Hopbell
Oh my. What can I say. I learned this recipe at culinary school 40 years ago I think but I never revisited it until now. I did use truffles and tongue and it makes a wonderful addition to any recipe file. I'll make this over and over again.
Sheila
Served this decadent side dish with a roast lamb. Quote from a guest: "My God this is good". It was even good as left overs. Nuf said.
Tori
Loved this! I was cooking for my 4-yr. old granddaughter who loves mac and cheese but vegetables, not so much, so in addition to the mushrooms and ham, put peas, sautéed onions, and tiny broccoli florets in and skipped the Madeira. Even dumbing it down for her, it was still delicious!
Claude
I made this again 2 nights ago and it is one of my favorites. I substituted imported Italian Pecorino Romano for the Gruyére (I forgot to buy some before making this) and the flavor was just as good. I did notice that the Pecorino Romano was much less likely to stick to the sides of the pot like the Gruyére does. I also substituted my own home made (DOP San Marzano) tomato sauce and the flavor was so much better then a can of tomato purée from the store. Nutmeg TT and that worked great.
Sarah
What a great and simple recipe! The nutmeg is absolutely necessary so don't skip it! I used Cab Sav since I didn't have any Madeira and it was just as delicious.
BonnieJo
Mymy, don't we feel European; with the end-of- summer, roasted yellow squash we served alongside, and this macaroni with it's spare, fully flavorful sauce: I felt like quite the accomplished fancy girl cook. Great return for fairly little effort.
Sally
How about "macaroni and beef casserole"? Pierre Franey's recipe, and here is the link: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3178-macaroni-and-beef-casserole. You're quite right, it is delicious.
Klkruger
Nonsense. Pasta should be cooked it well-salted water lest it end up bland, tasting fairly tasteless regardless of the salt content of any sauce enveloping it.
Nicole
I doubled the recipe and tripled the amount of ham and mushrooms to serve as a main course for 5 people. Served with a side salad. Delicious!
chef Pace, milano
I've cooked the original Escoffier recipe many times but not as a garnish, I serve it as a first plate, curious, why is it named Milanaise, there is nothing Milanese about this recipe
Martha
I would think that smoked turkey breast could substitute quite nicely.
Martine
This is an absolute delight. I didn't want to spend on a whole bottle of Madeira that would go to waste after this recipe, so I replaced it with 1 tablespoon of red wine and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. I used prosciutto instead of ham. We made it to complement Parmesan-crusted rack of lamb. This was my request for my birthday dinner. A fancy restaurant couldn't have done better...
LL
Made this to go with the Parmesan rack of lamb and boy, was it good! My husband and I polished off all of it in one dinner. I used prosciutto...
DankaL
I used cubed pancetta instead of the ham and doubled the mushroom. It was fantastic with the parmesan crusted lamb. My only revision when I next make it would be to halve the nutmeg to a quarter teaspoon instead of one half. Although I adore nutmeg I found it a bit dominant in the dish.
Dee
I used tomato paste and water in place of sauce
Dee
Made with a cheap Marsala, prosciutto, and truffled cheddar and Parmesan along with the mushrooms. I had parsley, Parmesan and breadcrumb mix from another recipe and sprinkled on top. Delicious.
jdt
Flexible recipe I altered based on ingredients I had late at night. Also flexible in terms of proportions. Subbed cheddar (for gruyere), prosciutto, and brandy. I didn't even realise it called for tomato puree rather than paste until reading more reviews just now! So I guess I really didn't make the recipe at all except for the parmesan, butter, mushrooms (although more than called for) and nutmeg. Anyway whatever I ended up with was super nice! I'll try to make it properly with gruyere one day
Kc
Made as written but found it bland. Maybe prosciutto would be better
a cook from Toronto
Don’t know what I did wrong, but this was not good. Followed recipe using red wine, bacon and cheddar instead of Gruyère as that is what I had. It was the furthest from ‘mac and cheese’ as any dish could be.
Bridget BXV
Made it tonight and followed the recipe almost exactly, except used prosciutto instead of ham. My son and I loved it, and it is now in our permanent rotation.
joyce jones
Does anyone know what pasta shape is in the photo?
joyce jones
I have bee wondering the same thing! I was buying ingredients for this yesterday and the cavatelli is tiny by comparison!
Martine
This is an absolute delight. I didn't want to spend on a whole bottle of Madeira that would go to waste after this recipe, so I replaced it with 1 tablespoon of red wine and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. I used prosciutto instead of ham. We made it to complement Parmesan-crusted rack of lamb. This was my request for my birthday dinner. A fancy restaurant couldn't have done better...
hannah
Lovely! I was skeptical but the butter and cheese came together very easily, just make sure to add cheese slowly and that your pasta is still hot. Easily swapped in prosciutto and red wine. I agree with earlier comments that no added salt is needed, but of course do still salt your pasta water.
PennB
Need more mushrooms less nutmeg didn’t use right cheese fix next time
JohnfromBoston
I made this last night. I was disappointedly underwhelmed. I cannot in all honesty jump on the enthusiasm bandwagon here for this recipe, either as a side or a main dish. Removing it from my recipe box.
lauren
Had to work with what I had in my pantry and also don't eat meat...Used vegetarian smoked gouda in place of the ham and gruyere and it was delicious. Also added caramelized onions and used balsamic vinegar instead of madeira. Very good!
Lindsay H
I doubled everything except the nutmeg (I couldn't bring myself to add an entire teaspoon of nutmeg to pasta) and used marsala instead of madeira because that's what I had. Two adults and two kids finished it all off: adults went for seconds, kids went for thirds. Definitely a keeper.
C from Colorado
I only use whole nutmeg that I grate at time of use. Believe me, it changes everything!
Sara
Doubled everything. Didn’t have tomato purée. Used half a can of tomato paste and what wine I had on hand and added an onion. Used frozen leftover Easter ham. Next time will use whole can of tomato paste and only half teaspoon of nutmeg. Also need to triple or quadruple mushrooms!
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