Healthy substitutions strike again, this time in the name of one of America’s favorite comfort foods! I’ve reduced the amount of saturated fat in this recipe by using sharper-tasting Feta and naturally-lower-in-fat mozzarella in place of the traditional Cheddar. I will warn you, however, that this tastes quite a bit different than the orange variety–this mac ‘n’ cheese has a distinct Greek flavor. If you’re a Cheddar-only sort, this recipe may not be for you, but if you like Feta, you may like this better than the original! Just be sure to layer in the mozzarella rather than adding it directly to the roux. (If you were to add it directly, the mozzarella would wrap itself into a ball and ruin the dish.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare whole-wheat pasta by following package directions. I like to use rotelle pasta–the spirals hold the sauce very nicely! This amount of sauce makes enough for about four servings of pasta (“servings” as defined by the stated serving portion on the package).
Start by making the roux:
1 T. whole-wheat flour
1 T. butter
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup milk (preferably organic; another option is to use rice milk)
Melt butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly, and cook for about one minute or until the butter turns a deep gold. Gradually add the milk, continuing to whisk constantly, and maintain the low heat setting. The roux should thicken and bubble slightly as you’re whisking. If it isn’t velvety enough after 1/2 cup of milk, gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup until it is. The most important thing is to keep stirring to prevent the roux from burning.
Whisk in:
1 cup Feta, diced (a chunk of Feta in brine is far, far preferable to the dried-out, pre-crumbled kind)
1 tsp. thyme
Salt & pepper
Mix cooked and drained pasta into sauce. Layer into ovenproof dish with:
1 cup mozzarella, grated
Bake for ten minutes. Garnish with chives and serve while piping hot. You may wish to drizzle with balsamic vinegar–the addition of vinegar makes the sauce taste even creamier. A good complement to this dish would be a beet salad: toss beets in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add salt & pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
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Tags: cheese, feta, macaroni and cheese, mozzarella, pasta
