Macaroni, Cheese and Egg Cake
Recipe By : The New Pasta Cookbook
- 1 pound elbow macaroni -- or ziti
- Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour -- sifted
- 3 cups milk -- hot
- salt and white pepper
- nutmeg
- 1 -1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese -- grated
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese -- grated
- 1 teaspoon onion -- grated
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh parsley -- chopped
Crust:
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg -- beaten
- 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese -- grated
- 3 hard-boiled egg -- sliced
Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and
stir
through a little vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
Cheese Sauce
: In a small saucepan melt butter and sprinkle in
flour. Cook
until smooth. Gradually pour in the hot milk, and cook, stirring,
until
sauce begins to thicken. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste,
onion
Cheddar, Parmesan, mustard and parsley. continue to cook until
thick and
smooth. In a bowl combine the pasta with cheese sauce and mix
well.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Crust
: Mix Parmesan and breadcrumbs together and sprinkle some
in a
greased loaf pan. Coat the sides well, and shake out the excess.
Pour in
egg and swirl around the pan to cover breadcrumb mixture. Discard
excess,
then shake around a final coating of breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
Now layer one-third of the pasta in the bottom of the dish and
cover this
with one-third of the mozzarella. Place half the boiled egg slices
in a
single layer on top. Repeat this layering, then on the last level
of eggs
put the remaining pasta and finally the last of the mozzarella..
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes,
and
then run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen it. Carefully
turn out
onto a warm serving plate and serve in slices.
NOTES : A fresh tomato sauce accompanies this cake beautifully.
It is
also easy to convert to a more substantial meal by introducing
layers of stir-fried vegetables, salami or ham. It keeps
well and
is preferred by some served cold.