Gus Gauch's Macaroni and
Cheese
Gus Gauch was a farmer and one of the two best fly
fishermen on the Namakagon River when I was a child. One of
the many things Gus taught me was his recipe for macaroni
and cheese. It is extremely simple and easy to make, has no
trans fats and is just plain delicious.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups uncooked macaroni
4 - 5 T butter
8 ounces medium cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumbs.
Salt and pepper to taste
PROCEDURE:
Bring 2 quarts of water to boiling. Turn on the oven
and set the thermostat to 300 degrees.
While the water is heating, shred the cheese and set it
aside. When the water reaches a full boil, stir in the
macaroni and cook 10 to 12 minutes; I always add salt to the
boiling water, but suit yourself. Drain but do not rinse so
the pasta will be hot when you assemble the dish.
While the macaroni is cooking, crush 3 or 4 slices of dry
bread (hot dog or hamburger buns you have dried in the oven
work very well also) to make about 1 cup of bread crumbs.
Do not try to turn the crumbs into a powder. Leave some
pieces 1/4" in diameter or so to provide a little variety in
appearance. Melt 4 T of butter in a small frying pan on low
heat. When the butter is melted, add the bread crumbs and
toast slightly stirring with a fork until the crumbs are
mixed with the butter. Season with salt and freshly ground
black pepper to taste. If the crumbs seem too dry, add a
little more butter.
Butter an 8" soufflé dish or some other oven proof
glass baking dish. Put a thin layer (about 3/4") of
macaroni in the dish, sprinkle about 1/3 of the cheese
evenly over the macaroni. Repeat with two more layers.
Spread bread crumbs over the top and put the uncovered dish
in the hot oven. Heat about 15 minutes until the cheese is
melted.
And that's it!
NOTE: You can use mild or sharp cheddar cheese for a
different flavor. And if you want to be fancy, grate an
extra tablespoon of cheese on top of the crumbs.
|