Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Sausage & Tomato

 

The recipe which I am sharing today comes from the food section of Yankee Magazine.  As soon as I saw it, I immediately bookmarked it and saved it as something I really wanted to try!  Not only did it look delicious, but the list of ingredients sounded fabulous.

Macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite things and is so easily adaptable to a variety of types of cheese.  This one uses two kinds of cheese, a cheddar and gruyere. I have suggested some substitutions for the gruyere if you cannot get it.

I like white cheddar myself, but by all means use orange if that is all you can find. I don't recommend using pre-grated cheeses in a dish like this one. They have things added to them to help them flow better and this will mess with the integrity of this delicious casserole.

 

In addition to two kinds of cheese this tasty version of mac and cheese has some browned Italian sausage added. You can choose to use a hot or a sweet version. Its up to you, but do add it. It adds a lovely flavor note to the finished dish.

It also boasts sliced tomatoes baked on top, which add a lovely note of color and a hint of sweetness. Cheese and tomatoes are perfect partners.  They also look very pretty sitting on top. Altogether this is one very tasty Macaroni and Cheese recipe that I highly recommend!

A bit of a weeknight splurge! Sized for the smaller family but easily doubled or tripled.  Just ask.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE WITH SAUSAGE & TOMATO

There is nothing really extraordinary here, unless you count Italian sausage as being out of the ordinary. I freeze my Italian sausage in single links for easy of taking out. (Makes sense when you live on your own.) When my sister and I make our own Italian sausage, I freeze it in 1/4-pound sized packages. Easy to thaw and crumble.

• 1 link of Italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled (sweet or hot you decide)
• 2 cups (480ml) whole milk (heated until just warm)
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS all-purpose plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt (Or to taste)
• pinch grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• pinch tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup (115g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cups (83g) grated Gruyère cheese
• 4 ounces (115g) elbow macaroni
• 1/2 tsp oil
• 1 medium tomato, sliced thin

 

One link of Italian sausage is about 3 ounces in weight, or 84 grams.  You can use either hot or sweet. It's simply a matter of preference. 

I use salted butter and whole milk. You can also vary the amount of cayenne pepper used. DO use at least a little bit as it helps to enhance the cheesiness. If you don't like cayenne pepper, you can use dry mustard powder in its place which will do the same thing.

I used a sharp white cheddar cheese. I like British cheese.  But any good sharp cheddar cheese will do.  Emmenthaler cheese or gruyere cheese is a type of Swiss cheese that has an almost sweet nutty flavor. If you cannot get it you can use Gouda or Jarlsberg in its place.

 

HOW TO MAKE BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE WITH SAUSAGE & TOMATO

This is really very simple to make and goes together quickly and easily.  You can also make it ahead of time if you wish.

Crumble the sausage into a small skillet and brown over medium heat, breaking it apart. Drain and set aside.

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until just al dente. Drain well, rinse and then add 1/2 tsp of flavorless oil to keep it from sticking together.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour. Cook and stir until smooth. Cook for one minute to help take away the flour taste.

Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until the mixture comes to the boil and begins to thicken.

Whisk in all of the seasonings until well combined. Whisk in both cheeses, stirring until both are melted. Remove from the heat.

 

Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a loaf-pan sized casserole dish. really well.

Add the cooked macaroni and sausage to the cheese sauce, mixing everything well together to combine. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.

Slice your tomato and place evenly spaced over top of the macaroni and cheese. If desired sprinkle with some coarse pepper.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown around the edges. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before spooning out onto plates to serve.

 

This can be made ahead of time up to the point of adding the sliced tomatoes and baking.  Cover and refrigerate.  Remove from the fridge for half an hour prior to baking it. I would also not add the sliced tomatoes until just before baking. 

Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.  They can be gently reheated in a bit of butter in a skillet. (Yum, fried mac and cheese.)

You can also divide into individual servings, wrap tightly in cling film and then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw completely before reheating in the microwave or a moderate oven.

This was a rich and delicious version of macaroni and cheese. I had never thought of adding sausage to it before. Although there was not a lot of sausage in it, it was just the right amount and added an additional flavor note to what was already very tasty. 

The two kinds of cheese worked together to give a really rich and delicious cheese sauce. I was tempted to sprinkle some buttered bread or cracker crumbs on top, but I left it as is with just the sliced tomato, and it was just perfect, nothing else was needed! I took half over to my next-door neighbor who really enjoyed it as well!

I served it with some jarred Polish salad and a slice of garlic toast. This was delicious and very satisfying! Pure comfort food!

 

If macaroni and cheese is one of your favorite things to make and to eat, you might also enjoy the following variations on the theme!

MACARONI & CHEESE MEATLOAF CASSEROLE - This is a real favorite with everyone I serve

it to, and I confess to being mighty fond of it myself. First of all, you have a wonderfully moist and tasty meatloaf base, glazed with a BBQ glaze. This gets baked and is then topped off with a lush macaroni and cheese. The two then get baked together until all of those wonderful flavors meld together beautifully! This is a real winner of a combination that everyone loves!

STOVE-TOP MACARONI AND CHEESE - This delicious macaroni and cheese is cooked in a saucepan on top of the stove and whoops the pants off of any macaroni and cheese that comes in a blue box. This recipe goes together lickety split. Just cook the macaroni and while it is cooking beat together the eggs, milk and seasonings. Have the butter measured and the cheese measured and grated and ready to go. As soon as the macaroni is cooked you throw it all together and, just like magic, you've got delicious macaroni and cheese!

Yield: three generous servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Sausage & Tomato

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 5 MinTotal time: 45 Min

This delicious version of macaroni and cheese is comfort food at its finest. Baked macaroni and cheese made even more flavorful with spicy Italian sausage and topped with tomato slices.

Ingredients

• 1 link of Italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled (sweet or hot you decide)
• 2 cups (480ml) whole milk (heated until just warm)
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS all-purpose plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt (Or to taste)
• pinch grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• pinch tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup (115g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cups (83g) grated Gruyère cheese
• 4 ounces (115g) elbow macaroni
• 1/2 tsp oil
• 1 medium tomato, sliced thin

Instructions

1. Crumble the sausage into a small skillet and brown over medium heat, breaking it apart. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until just al dente. Drain well, rinse and then add 1/2 tsp of flavorless oil to keep it from sticking together.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour. Cook and stir until smooth. Cook for one minute to help take away the flour taste.
4. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until the mixture comes to the boil and begins to thicken.
5. Whisk in all of the seasonings until well combined. Whisk in both cheeses, stirring until both are melted. Remove from the heat.
6. Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a loaf-pan sized casserole dish. really well.
7. Add the cooked macaroni and sausage to the cheese sauce, mixing everything well together to combine. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
8. Slice your tomato and place evenly spaced over top of the macaroni and cheese. If desired sprinkle with some coarse pepper.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown around the edges. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before spooning out onto plates to serve.

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