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Macaroni & Cheese w/ Spinach & Mozzarella

Macaroni & Cheese w/ Spinach & Mozzarella

This Fresh Mozzarella Macaroni consists of butter, flour, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ricotta, wine, lemon juice, parmesan, and spinach.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Large Baking Dish
  • Large Pot
  • Skillet
  • Stovetop

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 c. butter
  • 1 lbs. rigatoni (or macaroni or pasta of choice)
  • 1/4 c. flour
  • dash salt
  • dash pepper
  • 1 tsp. mustard
  • 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ½ c. ricotta
  • 1/2 c. dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 lbs. mozzarella fresh
  • 1/3 c. parmesan grated
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 lbs. spinach whole or chopped

Instructions
 

Cook Pasta

  • 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!
  • Drain the pasta. 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, nutmeg, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir constantly for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Add ricotta 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. Although this is less of an issue with yogurt as it is milk or cream, it is still something to watch out for!
  • Meanwhile, grate or crumble the cheddar cheese and add to roux 1/2 cup at a time. Mix constantly until fully incorporated.
  • Add noodles, garlic, and spinach. Stir until fully coated in the cheese sauce.

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.