Wild Mushroom Macaroni Cheese Recipes

BAKED CHEESY PASTA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the mushrooms and cut into 1-inch pieces. Toss with the olive oil, the salt, a few grinds of pepper and the rosemary. Spread on a large baking sheet and roast, tossing once or twice, until golden brown and crisped around the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Discard rosemary.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for at least a few minutes less than the package directs. (You want the pasta very al dente; it will finish softening in the sauce.) Drain well.
• Turn oven up to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the cream, ricotta, fontina, Parmesan, sage, pepper, garlic and a pinch of salt. Stir in the pasta and mushrooms. Arrange in a shallow 2-quart gratin dish or 9- by 13-inch pan. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly and browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.

MUSHROOM MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• For the topping: Mix the panko, Parmesan, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.
• For the pasta: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta for 10 minutes (it should still be firm as it will continue to cook in the sauce). Drain and set aside, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta-cooking water.
• While the pasta cooks, heat a 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, mushrooms, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Remove the cooked mushrooms to a plate and drizzle with the truffle oil.
• Preheat the broiler to high.
• Reduce the heat to medium under the Dutch oven. Add the butter and flour and mix with a wooden spoon to form a paste. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another minute. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring this mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom. Simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in the gruyere, fontina and Parmesan and stir until fully incorporated.
• Add the pasta, reserved pasta water, cooked mushroom mixture, 3/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper to the cheese sauce and fold everything together. Top with the breadcrumb mixture and drizzle with the olive oil and truffle oil. Broil until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, about 8 minutes.
• Allow the mac and cheese to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

MUSHROOM MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for about 15 minutes. Once mushrooms are reconstituted squeeze out liquid & reserve both mushrooms & liquid.
• Melt butter over low heat and add flour. Cook gently for 3 or 4 minutes. Whisk in mushroom liquid and sufficient stock to form a medium thick sauce. Add 1/2 the grated cheese & whisk until smooth.
• Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until just less than 'al dente'.
• Grease (or spray coat) an 8x8 baking dish. Layer Macaroni, cheese & mushroom sauce & remaining grated cheese in at least 2 layers. You may add more cheese or breadcrumbs, etc. on top.
• Bake at 350 approx 30 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and any topping is browned.