Mediterranean Macaroni and Cheese
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Everyday Food, April 2010
- Total Time 45 minutes
- Yield Serves 6
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Ingredients
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces feta, crumbled
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a large pot of salted water to boil and butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, and oregano.
- Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions; drain pasta and return to pot. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens, 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in 4 ounces feta. Stir in tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over pasta; stir to combine.
- Pour pasta mixture into dish and top with 4 ounces feta. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese begins to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Good variation on mac and cheese. I halved the kalamatas and omitted added salt which I don't think this recipe really needs. Also next time would reduce the flour some as it made a very thick sauce. Finished product is tasty.
I made some alterations to the recipe to make it healthier. Used whole wheat pasta. Used 1% milk instead of the whole milk and only used 4 oz of feta cheese. Put all the cheese in the sauce and skipped topping it with more cheese. It was very rich with the 4 oz of cheese. Also added a can of wild salmon. Husband loved it. And I assembled it the day before and popped it into the oven the next day.
The whole milk will make the dish richer in taste. But 2% or even skim milk would be fine - it just won't be as creamy - but it will be healthier.
Have not tried recipie bit can substitute non flavored rice, soy or alomond milk. (unsweetened and no vanilla falvoring). It has worked for me.
Is it imperative that I use "whole milk"? I am lactose intolerant. Would 2% do? Must be a reason using whole milk?
Delicious! A BIG hit!
This was delicious and a HUGE hit with our 8 yr old son! I'm printing out the recipe and adding it to our Family Favorites Binder! We're definitely making this again! YUM!