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Culinary

Recipes

Italian Macaroni and Cheese

February 21, 2012

So, if you read my blog or know anything about me, you know that I have a weakness for macaroni and cheese. Macaroni and Cheese is my kryptonite… no matter how well I’m doing on a diet, I can’t ever seem to resist some cheesy mac. I guess if I’m being honest, I love anything with copious amounts of melted cheese on it–grilled cheese, fettucini alfredo, lasagna, queso dip, etc. I read somewhere once in a marketing textbook (or maybe I dreamed it…it’s really hard to say), that people are 70% more likely to buy something if it’s illustrated with a picture of melted cheese (I know I’m guilty of this, so we’ll call it science).

Recently my mom posted a video on my wall of some italian guy named Fabio making italian macaroni and cheese, and even though I’d decided that morning I was going to start dieting, I knew that if I didn’t make that recipe soon, I’d be dreaming about Mac n Cheese for the next few weeks. So, of course, I went out that afternoon and bought all of the ingredients I needed for my cheese extravaganza.

I edited the recipe a bit from Fabio’s recommendations, partly because I couldn’t find fontina cheese, and partly because it is impossible for me to exactly follow directions of any kind. So below is my edited recipe from Fabio’s Italian Macaroni and Cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. dry elbow macaroni
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 ounces shredded smoked gouda cheese ( just got a round from Bi-Lo and shredded the entire thing)
  • 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (or gorgonzola)
  • 1.5 cups heavy cream
  • 12 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Put the heavy cream and all the cheeses into a metal mixing bowl.
  2. Add cracked pepper and pinch of salt to cream and cheese.
  3. Put the bowl on top of a pot of boiling water on medium high and stir until the cheese is melted, set it aside.
  4. Cook pasta in the pot of boiling water until al dente.
  5. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  6. Saute the minced garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft.
  7. Remove garlic and mix with pasta.
  8. Mix in the cheese sauce, and put in the pot and heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. At this point, if you didn’t want to bake the macaroni, you could eat it right now. It tasted great and would’ve made a great creamy macaroni and cheese. I kind of wish I’d set some aside to compare the difference in taste.
  9. While the sauce is heating, put the breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse until well combined.
  10. Place Mac and cheese in an oven safe container and top with bread crumb mixture and bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. I made the mistake of leaving the macaroni in too long. The original recipe said 15-20 minutes, and I left it in for 17, and my finished result was not as creamy as I’d wanted it to be. I think it would have been much better had I not left it in as long.
  11. Also, I topped it with some more cheese, which I would advise against doing, since the cheese will burn before everything else is finished cooking. If you do want to top it with some cheese, do it like 2 minutes before you plan to take it out, that will it will be melty and delicious, and not burnt.

aaaand there goes my diet again.

aaaand there goes my diet again.

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Five Loaves

December 2, 2011

I have no idea how many times I’ve been to Five Loaves (or 5 Breads as Tina calls it). It’s Lauren’s favorite restaurant and one of my favorite casual lunch spots in Charleston, as well. It’s simple, good food. Nothing pretentious or over the top—soups, sandwiches, and salads. For dinner they offer heartier options such as pastas and meat dishes. Everything I’ve ever had there is delicious. Their soups are homemade, creative, and just plain yummy. Lauren’s favorite is the broccoli, potato, cheddar which she couples with the half version of the tomato and mozzarella salad (although she always replaces the mozzarella with goat cheese, which is sacrilegious, in my opinion… She says “mozzarella doesn’t taste like anything” MOZZARELLA HAS FLAVOR, LAUREN. IT’S MOZZARELLA FLAVORED. IT’S DELICIOUS. HAVE YOU NEVER HAD PIZZA BEFORE?!). I tend to stick to the marinated chicken sandwich on baguette (which comes with the house-made mozzarella cheese, WHICH IS DELICIOUS, LAUREN) with a cup of the chicken chili.

The sandwich is quite delicious.

If they have a really good selection of soup that day and I have a hard time narrowing it down to just one, I opt for the 3 soup pours which allows me to sample three different soups. I strongly recommend this option if you are indecisive like me.

Om nom nom

Om nom nom

 If you’re going for dinner, I recommend the tri-colored tortellini in the cracked black pepper parmesan cream sauce. It’s amazing. I’ve also had the gnocchi, which is really good.  I usually eat half of it and take the other half home to eat for lunch the next day. The portion sizes are pretty big, so you definitely won’t leave feeling hungry.
When food is this good, it's hard to remember to take a photo before you eat half of it.

When food is this good, it’s hard to remember to take a photo before you eat half of it.

 I’ve also gotten the chicken parmesan, which also comes with the house-made mozzarella cheese (PEOPLE LOVE MOZZARELLA CHEESE, LAUREN. IT’S NOT JUST ME. YOU’RE THE ONE WHO’S CRAZY), but I don’t really love their tomato sauce that comes on the pasta. I find it kind of bland. The fried goat cheese appetizer is really good if you like goat cheese (which I do). I’ve also had some of their other appetizers. Becca usually gets the turkey sandwich with the cranberry mayo on whole wheat. Tina usually gets the same thing I get (which drives me crazy. I hate getting the same thing as other people at restaurants. I don’t know why. I just do).

Lauren: This is what delicious looks like. Take note. There will be a quiz later.

Anywho. I love Five Loaves. It’s a great place to eat if you’re not looking to eat something super heavy. I love it, and Becca, I will always choose Five Loaves for our Mount Pleasant lunch dates. Just FYI. I’m so excited to go eat there with Lauren whenever she finds it in her heart to grace me with her presence (yes, DC is cool, I GET IT). Only maybe she’ll get something a little heavier so that we don’t have a repeat of Halloweekend (HINTHINT NUDGENUDGE, LAUREN. EAT SOME FREAKING BREAD).

Also, they’re closed on Sundays. Go figure.

Five Loaves Cafe
43 Cannon Street,
Charleston, SC 29403-6068
(843) 937-4303

Five Loaves Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato