Masala Mac and Cheese

Every Thanksgiving my family will have foods from cuisines all over the world and if we do have the traditional Thanksgiving foods we always add some sort of...

Every Thanksgiving my family will have foods from cuisines all over the world and if we do have the traditional Thanksgiving foods we always add some sort of flare to it with Indian spices. That is exactly what inspired me when developing this recipe because I was in charge of the macaroni and cheese this past year and wanted to add that same flare that we have been doing since for as long as I can remember. There is also something just so comforting and homey to me when I tasted the fusions of the foods that I grew up loving with the spices that remind me of the home cooked meals I would eat when I came home from school. The name masala mac and cheese may seem daunting to some in fear that it may be “too spicy”, but it is actually perfectly balanced. The creaminess and richness of the three types of cheese, milk and heavy cream paired with the bold and spicy masala mix create the perfect flavor that I like to describe as a “party in your mouth:”. The best part about baked dishes like these is that it can be prepared beforehand. Whether it be for a regular dinner or to take to Thanksgiving dinner with your family. I have a few main tips to ensure that your prep for this dish goes smoothly. First being that you want to make sure to cook your pasta to whatever the package advises to be al dente. If you overcook the elbows then it creates a mushy texture when baking in the oven and the noodles are less likely to hold their shape and more likely to break apart. Second would be if you are preparing this dish the night before, I recommend storing the pasta and sauce separately, because if you mix it together and store it overnight the noodles will soak up all the liquid and it will dry out. I recommend heating up the sauce and mixing it with pasta right before putting it into the oven to bake. When storing cooked pasta overnight I find tossing it with a bit of olive prevents the pasta from sticking together. Lastly, I highly recommend hand shredding the cheese for this recipe instead of buying pre shredded cheese, it almost always has turned out better and creamier when hand shredding my cheese for the sauce and topping.