I've been craving fondue lately. Fondue requires making bread and finding gruyère and emmentaler at a reasonable price at the same time. And, as much as I absolutely adore a good Homemade Fondue, it's not always in the cards! So, I'm doing the next best thing and making Macaroni & Cheese Fondue. Or, I guess, Wine Macaroni & Cheese. I've really just replaced the milk with wine. This is partially because I don't have milk. I don't tend to drink milk or keep it on hand unless I have a specific dish in mind. Although you can substitute cream, heavy whipping cream, Greek yogurt, and cream cheese for milk? I also managed to be out of all of these things after the holidays. What I do have on hand is wine!
I have to preface this by saying that wine can be difficult to cook with. It has a high acidity level, which can easily break a roux or cheese sauce. Wine in this much of a quantity needs to be added in VERY SLOWLY. I even mixed in a little splash extra after I mixed in the pasta because the starch in the macaroni (or shells, in this case) helps. I also added cornstarch, like you would to help this when making fondue. The oils are still also going to separate slightly when cooking. So, make sure to keep a close eye on this in the oven. If you do it well, though, this is going to taste like perfectly fried fondue!
That having been said, this Wine Macaroni & Cheese is an incredibly decadent dish. For a more user-friendly variation, substitute half of the wine for milk or cream to help the cheese bind to the sauce.
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Variations of Wine Macaroni & Cheese
I'm no stranger to fun macaroni and cheese recipes. I'm a firm believer that our childhood selves got it right sometimes. Macaroni is indeed one of the best foods. Although I like to put a slightly more adult spin on it these days.
This Wine Macaroni & Cheese swaps out the milk for sauvignon blanc with emmentaler, butter, flour, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and cornstarch. This does make the sauce more prone to breaking, so it's going to be a slightly more difficult iteration of macaroni and cheese. Although you can always add in more milk (half to entirely milk, instead). Adding in a little bit of cornstarch also helps. This is very similar to the process of making fondue. Only in baked noodle form.
Add about 4 inches of water to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cook pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions. This typically entails boiling for about 8-12 minutes, or until barely al dente.The pasta will cook another half hour in the oven, so make sure not to overcook them during this stage!
DO NOT DRAIN. Remove the pasta from the water with a slotted spoon or pour the water into a heat-safe bowl. Since Greek yogurt isn't as thin as milk or cream in classic macaroni and cheese recipes, you will need to cut it with the pasta water. Tap water will not taste the same. You want to use the water that the pasta has been boiling in.You may want to stir it occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking together.
Prepare Roux
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a large baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
Preheat saucepan on medium-heat. Add 1/4 cup butter and melt.
Immediately when the butter melts, add flour and stir constantly until incorporated. This should take about 3 minutes.Do NOT brown or overcook, though. You just want the butter and flour to incorporate until you add the spices.
Add salt, pepper, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir constantly for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Add cornstarch and wine, a little at a time, and stir constantly until incorporated after each addition. Adding too much at once can cause the roux to separate.
Meanwhile, grate the cheese and add to roux 1/2 cup at a time. Mix constantly until fully incorporated.
Add just enough of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce. I typically use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Although it does vary slightly from batch to batch.You want the sauce to be about the consistency of an Alfredo sauce. It should spread easily, but is not a liquid. I would suggest airing on the side of caution and adding less, mixing the pasta in, and then adding more if necessary for it to achieve the quintessential macaroni and cheese texture.
Add noodles and stir until fully coated in the cheese sauce.If necessary, add more water to achieve the right consistency.
Bake Macaroni and Cheese
Pour macaroni and cheese into greased baking dish.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.
Let cool slightly and cut into 2-inch squares. Serve immediately.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
You can reheat macaroni in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. However, macaroni and cheese doesn't necessarily reheat well! After refrigeration, the noodles typically harden and the lasagna tends to dry out. The pasta will likely overcook during this process. And the cheese tends to separate and get oily if you reheat too rapidly.
Whatever you do, absolutely do not put macaroni and cheese in the microwave!!
Alternatively, you can reheat on the stovetop. Just place in a skillet with a lid and slowly bring the heat to medium. When the macaroni begins to soften, carefully spear with a silicone spatula to separate. Continue to heat with the lid on and stir occasionally. You may need to add additional milk or Greek yogurt to this to help prevent the noodles from drying out and the cheese from separating.
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