Sicilian Mac Cheese Recipes

SICILIAN TIMBALLO

Steps:

• Get authentic Sicilian Anelletti Pasta HERE Make the Crust: In a stand mixer, add the flour, salt and the butter cut in cubes. Let the flour absorb all the butter. Add the eggs and let them mix well. Add enough milk (about 1/4 + Cups) until you have a firm ball of dough. Let it rest. Prepare the Eggplant: Wash, peel and slice the eggplant longways about 1/4" tick. Lightly fry all the eggplant slices in olive oil and set aside. Boil the Pasta: In salted water, cook the Anelletti pasta to just before Al Dente. Drain the pasta, blanch it with very cold water and set aside. Make the Meat Sauce: Add 3 Tbs of EV olive oil in a pot followed by the garlic. Once the garlic turns blonde, add the chopped meat. Let the meat brown and add the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate and add the bay leaves to be removed once the sauce has cooked and cooled off. Add salt and Peperoncino, as desired, and the fresh parsley. Add the crushed tomatoes and the peas. Let the sauce cook for about 5 mins., set aside to cool. Assembly the Timballo: Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9" spring-form pan. Mix the pasta and the meat sauce. Take the dough and split it 60/40. Take the larger piece of dough and roll it with a pin to about 1/4" thick and large enough that will line the bottom and the sides of the pan. Place the rolled dough in the pan and cut any excess dough overflowing from the sides. Line the borders of the pan with slices of eggplant with half hanging from the sides of the pan. Line the bottom of the pan with eggplant as well. Line the bottom with a layer of mozzarella. Cover the mozzarella with a layer of pasta until midway into the pan. Add a layer of eggplant and a layer of mozzarella. Cover to the top with pasta to form a little dome. Add another layer of mozzarella and flip over it the eggplant hanging from the sides of the pan. Roll the remaining dough to 1/4" and place over the pan to seal the entire Timballo. Cut any excess dough hanging from the sides and with your fingers seal the bottom and top dough together. Decorate the top of the Timballo as desired and give it a good coating of egg wash. Bake for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours until you have the desired color on top.

SICILIAN MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente., In a Dutch oven, brown sausages on all sides, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; add water. Cook, covered, until a thermometer reads 160°, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan; slice sausages., In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan cheese until melted; remove from heat. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk until blended. Stir in basil, fennel seed, garlic, salt, pepper and cooked sausage. Add to Dutch oven. Drain pasta and add to cheese mixture immediately; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with additional basil.

SICILIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the crushed cookies and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
• In a medium bowl, beat the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. Stir in candied peel and 2 ounces of grated chocolate by hand. Spoon the filling over the chilled crust, and smooth out the top surface. Refrigerate for 6 hours, or overnight.
• Just before serving, whip cream with 1 tablespoon of confectioners' sugar until stiff in a small bowl using an electric mixer. Run a knife around the outside edge of the cake, and remove the sides of the pan. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake, and sprinkle with remaining grated chocolate. Serve immediately.

SICILIAN CASSEROLE OAMC

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef, onion and pepper in saucepan. Cook until beef is done. Drain well.
• Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, and dried Italian seasoning and stir well to blend.
• Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook elbow macaroni as directed on package. While macaroni is cooking, combine cream cheese and milk in medium bowl. Cook in microwave on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove from microwave and stir with wire whisk until sauce is smooth.
• Drain noodles and add to cream cheese sauce along with sour cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; stir.
• In 2 quart casserole dish, place all of cream cheese mixture. Top with all of the ground beef mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until casserole is bubbly.
• To freeze, add 1 tablespoons cornstarch to the cream cheese sauce. Prepare casserole as directed, except instead of baking, chill in refrigerator. Wrap well and freeze up to 3 months.
• To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in refrigerator.
• Bake, covered, for 25-35 minutes 5 minutes longer until bubbly.

ITALIAN MAC-N-CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.
• In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.
• Preheat broiler to high.
• To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.
• Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to flameproof baking dish, casserole or flameproof serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.

SICILIAN MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente., In a Dutch oven, brown sausages on all sides, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; add water. Cook, covered, until a thermometer reads 160°, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan; slice sausages., In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan cheese until melted; remove from heat. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk until blended. Stir in basil, fennel seed, garlic, salt, pepper and cooked sausage. Add to Dutch oven. Drain pasta and add to cheese mixture immediately; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with additional basil.