Mac and cheese casserole is buttery, cheesy heaven
This dish was made famous in the South.
In Saving Southern Recipes, Southern Kitchen’s Kate Williams explores the deep heritage of Southern cooking through the lens of passed-down, old family recipes.
Baked macaroni and cheese casseroles were likely the earliest form of the dish eaten in the South, and while the South was perhaps not the first region of the country serving macaroni and cheese, it was certainly made famous here.
In the late 18th century, Thomas Jefferson traveled to Europe with his slave and cook James Hemings. Jefferson tried a dish of pasta and cheese, and once back at Monticello, he had Hemings create a macaroni and cheese “pie,” inspired by dishes from their travels. This macaroni and cheese pie was popular enough that it was later served at an 1802 state dinner at the White House.
Early cookbook author Mary Randolf, whose brother was Jefferson’s son-in-law, included a similar dish in her 1824 cook-
book, “The Virginia Housewife.” Given Randolf ’s connection to the former president, her recipe was likely at least inspired, if not totally lifted from Hemings, which makes him one of the very first creators of the dish we know and love today.
When macaroni and cheese first made its appearance in the South, both cheese and pasta were hard to come by, so the dish was generally served in elite households. By the Civil War, however, factories had begun manufacturing both cheese and pasta on a wider scale and recipes for mac and cheese began popping up as far west as Kansas and Missouri. Southern Kitchen reader Karen Everhart bakes a macaroni and cheese recipe similar to these original versions, and it is indeed an old recipe. She wrote: “I’m 73 years old and, this was my grandmother’s recipe! It is requested by all of family — children and adults — every year!”
Her macaroni and cheese is made with egg noodles that are boiled until tender, and layered with sharp cheddar and butter, before being draped with a simple custard of eggs, milk, salt and pepper. A thick layer of sliced cheese melts over the top to create a melty neon orange top hat for each serving.
While I made some tweaks to Everhart’s macaroni and cheese, it still holds old-fashioned comfort-food appeal.
MACARONI AND CHEESE CASSEROLE
1 1/2 pounds sharp cheddar
cheese, divided
4 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, plus more as desired
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and boil until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well.
Meanwhile, grate one pound of the cheese on the large holes of a box grater. Thinly slice the remaining cheese. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and the eggs. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Spread half of the cooked noodles evenly across the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with half of the grated cheese and half of the butter, distributing both evenly across the noodles. Repeat with the remaining noodles, grated cheese and butter. Pour the milk mixture over the noodles; it should come close to the top of the noodles. Lay the sliced cheese evenly across the top of the noodles.
Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the filling is bubbling and the top layer of cheese is just starting to brown, about 45 minutes. Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving. Serves: 6 to 8
Per serving, based on 6: 1,030 calories (percent of calories from fat, 57), 49 grams protein, 63 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 65 grams fat (39 grams saturated), 396 milligrams cholesterol, 1,035 milligrams sodium.