Macaroni Cheese Frittata

 

I came down with a rather bad tummy bug over the weekend. I did not cook anything at all on Saturday or Sunday. My daughter was still with me and she took good care of me. She enjoyed some canned Spaghetti and meatballs, which she likes and garlic bread and then yesterday, after church, my sister took her back to her place.

I hated to have our week together end on such a sour note. I have not been sick like that for a very long time. Thankfully today I am starting to feel quite a bit better, although I am still not 100%.  I hope I totally recover soon as my oldest son and his family are expected to come for a visit within the next day or two!

 

Yesterday all I managed to eat was a piece of dry toast towards the end of the day. Today I was feeling a bit more peckish, always a good sign!  I felt like I could eat something. I had seen a recipe on Wise Living Magazine for a Macaroni Cheese Frittata which looked really promising and had bookmarked it.

Attributed to British Chef John Whaite, it looked really delicious as well as being very simple to make. It also used pretty straightforward store cupboard ingredients.

Macaroni cheese is nursery type of food. Pretty benign and something you would offer someone who had not been feeling well, to try to tempt their appetite back into life.

 

 

Combining the textures and flavors of macaroni and cheese into a frittata is genius.  I love frittatas. They are simple to make.  Usually don't require much out of the ordinary and go together in a flash.

They make for fabulous light suppers, or even lunches.  They are perfectly portable as well, making them ideal for taking to work and or on picnics. They are just as delicious served at room temperature as they are fresh out of the pan and hot.

One of the best bits of macaroni and cheese are those crispy corner bits.  This eats like a big huge crispy corner, with its cheesy golden brown burnished bottom. Simple and comforting. This was the ideal supper for me today.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MACARONI CHEESE FRITTATA

Just a few simple ingredients, that's all. This is really quite the store cupboard supper. Perfect for when you don't really feel much like cooking but still want to serve a delicious meal.

• 2/3 cup cup (75g) dry macaroni
• 3 1/2 TBS (50g) single cream or evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp English mustard (hot mustard)
• 1/2 cup (50g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup (45g) crumbled stilton
• small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• 3 large free range eggs
• 1 TBS mild flavored oil (I used avocado)
• Tabasco sauce
• fine sea salt and white pepper to taste

 

The recipe did not specify the shape of macaroni used.  Looking at their page I could see that they used maccheroni, which is not available here in Canada. Maccheroni is pretty much the same as elbow macaroni, but it is not curved. It has a straight shape.

You will want to use any kind of tubular macaroni that is not overly large. I used Ditalini, which is like short cut maccheroni.  

 

The recipe specified English mustard, which is quite hot. I happened to have some English mustard which I used, but you can use any HOT mustard. You will not need a lot of it.  Dijon would also work I think, which is a bit spicy but not overly so.

The recipe specified a combination of cheddar and stilton cheeses.  I had some stilton, but just getting over the stomach flu I didn't want to eat anything that was too rich so kept it to just cheddar. I used a sharp/strong white cheddar.

As always I used organic free range eggs.  You can use whatever eggs you can afford to use. Just make sure they are fresh and large eggs.

I used single cream (half and half) instead of evaporated milk as I did not have any evaporated milk. This worked out beautifully.

 

HOW TO MAKE MACARONI CHEESE FRITTATA

Frittata's really are some of the simplest suppers to make. Quick, easy and delicious. They are also great for lunches and for portable picnics as they are just as delicious served at room temperature as they are served hot!

Cook your macaroni to al dente according to your package directions in a pot of boiling lightly salted water. Drain well and return to the saucepan.

Whisk in the cream, cheeses, mustard and parsley. Return to a low heat and stir to coat the pasta with the mixture and melt the cheese. Leave to cool for five minutes.

Beat the eggs well together and then beat into the macaroni mixture. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Heat a deep small skillet (I used my 8-inch cast iron skillet.) over medium heat until hot. Add the oil. Pour in the egg/pasta mixture, smoothing over the top.

Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low for 10 to 15 minutes until the frittata is set and golden brown on the bottom. Drizzle with tabasco sauce and sprinkle on a bit of additional cheese if desired.

Serve cut into wedges.

 

This was really tasty and more than a little bit rich.  I did not use stilton cheese, as, having just had a tummy bug, I thought stilton would be a bit too much for me to cope with.   It was delicious with just the cheddar. 

I am thinking it would also be really delicious with bits of smoked ham, bacon, cubed pancetta,  or even some flaked tuna added.  This would please the meat eaters in your life!

 

I enjoyed it simply with some sliced cucumbers on this day, but it would be lovely with garlic fingers and a tossed salad, or some pickled beets or cucumbers.  I am popping this recipe into my file for quick and easy suppers when you just can't be asked to cook and are wanting something simple!

 

If  on occasion, like myself, you don't feel up to cooking a huge meal and just want something simple for your supper, here are a few other supper options that you might enjoy!

FIRESIDE CHILI SUPPER -  This is a quick and easy skillet supper that is sure to come in very handy. It is a tasty combination of cooked rice, tomatoes, chili with beans, and a few other store cupboard ingredients. It comes together in a flash and cooks all in one pan. Plus it is delicious.

ROASTED SAUSAGE AND POTATO SUPPER -  A delicious combination of potatoes, sausages, onions and peppers, all roasted to perfection on a baking sheet. If you line the sheet with some foil then clean up is really at a minimum. This is perfect for those nights when you just can't be asked to cook.

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Macaroni Cheese Frittata

Prep time: 12 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 27 Min

This makes a simple yet delicious light supper or lunch. I like to serve it with some salad or raw vegetables on the side.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup cup (75g) dry macaroni
• 3 1/2 TBS (50g) single cream or evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp English mustard (hot mustard)
• 1/2 cup (50g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup (45g) crumbled stilton
• small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• 3 large free range eggs
• 1 TBS mild flavored oil (I used avocado)
• Tabasco sauce
• fine sea salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook your macaroni to al dente according to your package directions in a pot of boiling lightly salted water. Drain well and return to the saucepan.
2. Whisk in the cream, cheeses, mustard and parsley. Return to a low heat and stir to coat the pasta with the mixture and melt the cheese. Leave to cool for five minutes.
3. Beat the eggs well together and then beat into the macaroni mixture. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
4. Heat a deep small skillet (I used my 8-inch cast iron skillet.) over medium heat until hot. Add the oil. Pour in the egg/pasta mixture, smoothing over the top.
5. Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low for 10 to 15 minutes until the frittata is set and golden brown on the bottom. Drizzle with tabasco sauce and sprinkle on a bit of additional cheese if desired.
6. Serve cut into wedges.

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