Macaroni and Cheese

	Macaroni and cheese

Macaroni and cheese with cubed meat and champignons. Macaroni or penne dishes are perfect as a first course or when you are hungry but don't have time to cook more than one dish. Macaroni and cheese dishes are all-purpose recipes that are appropriate for a Sunday lunch, a Saturday supper, or as an everyday nutritious meal.

Macarrons – Macaroni au gratin with champignons

Ingredients for macaroni and cheese

• 1 pound macaroni or penne rigate
• 1/2 pound beef meat - cut into 1/2 inch dices
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• onion - finely chopped
• 1/2 pound ripe tomatoes - peeled and chopped
• 4 ounces champignons - cleaned and finely sliced
• 1 cup milk
• 2 ounces or 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese - grated
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter

How to prepare this macaroni and cheese dish

1. Boil water and pour it over the tomatoes covering them completely. After about five minutes, remove the tomatoes from the hot water with a spoon. Let them cool for a few moments, peel, and coarsely chop them.


2. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the meat dices. Heat the oil in an earthenware or metal saucepan over medium-low heat, and add the meat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. After a few minutes add the onion and some salt, and continue stirring. When the onion is light golden, add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. When the tomato sauce is almost done, add the slices of champignons.


3. Bring 1 gallon (5 liter) of water to a boil in a big soup pot, and add some salt to the boiling water. When the water is rolling boil, add all the macaroni or penne rigate at the same time while you stir the macaroni with a long-handled wooden spoon. Stir often.


4. Keep the macaroni or penne rigate boiling vigourously all the time until they are al dente, meaning that you remove them from the heat when they still offer a slight resistance when you chew them. Do not let them become too soft.


5. Drain them immediately in a colander and mix them with the tomato sauce. Do not rinse the macaroni or penne rigate.


6. Preheat the oven broiler. Put the macaroni in a baking pan and top them with the grated cheese. Pour the glass milk over the macaroni, and add the tablespoon butter in 3 or 4 small pieces. Broil the macaroni and cheese in the oven for about 10 minutes. Serves four.

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