How to make this classic New York deli-style mac and cheese at home
Don’t skimp on the crumb topping when making this ultra-cheesy pasta bake.
Mac and cheese is one of the most popular dishes on the winter menu at Ruben’s Deli in Armadale, in Melbourne’s south-east.
“It’s not a family recipe and there’s no origin story – but as a New York-inspired deli, it felt like a no-brainer to have on the menu,” says co-owner Amanda Ruben. “We trialled a version, refined it, and it’s since become a local favourite.”
While the deli specialises in hefty NY-style sandwiches such as the Reuben, made with house-smoked pastrami, some customers come by just for the mac and cheese, sometimes pairing it with the deli’s signature iceberg wedge salad or oversized beef ribs.
“We put it out warm on the counter at lunchtime, and it usually sells out within the hour,” says Ruben.
She uses a mix of cheeses, which add a richness and depth you don’t typically get from standard mac and cheese, she says. “Each one brings its own character.”
It can be made even more special by adding some red Leicester cheese to the mix, which gives a nutty flavour and vibrant colour.
If you don’t have time to make your own breadcrumbs, good-quality store-bought crumbs are fine. But either way, don’t skimp on the crumb topping!
Ingredients
600ml (2½ cups) full-cream milk
300g rigatoni or fusilli pasta
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ small onion, grated
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 tbsp plain flour
100g (1 cup) grated fontina cheese, grated
100g (1 cup) grated gruyere cheese, grated
100g (1 cup) cheddar, grated
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
200g breadcrumbs (see method)
¼ cup grated parmesan
FOR THE BREADCRUMBS
200g stale sourdough bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt flakes
Method
Step 1
To make the breadcrumbs, preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Step 2
Pulse the bread in a food processor until it’s crumbly, then spread the crumbs on the prepared tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Step 3
Bake for 5-10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until they are slightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside. Leave the oven on.
Step 4
To make the mac and cheese, bring the milk to a bare simmer in a small saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.
Step 5
Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until just al dente (the noodles will continue to cook in the cheese sauce). Drain and set it aside to cool. Don’t rinse under cold water.
Step 6
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until onions are fragrant and beginning to soften. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to catch on the bottom of the saucepan, about 1 minute. Slowly add the warm milk, stirring constantly, to combine.
Step 7
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, until the sauce thickens and no longer feels grainy (6-8 minutes).
Step 8
Add the fontina, gruyere and cheddar cheeses, season well with salt and pepper, and stir until cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth.
Step 9
Remove the cheese sauce from the stove, add the pasta, and mix well to coat.
Step 10
Put the pasta and cheese sauce in a 2-litre baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
Step 11
Remove from the oven and top with the breadcrumbs and grated parmesan, then continue baking until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the crumbs are crisp and golden, about 20 minutes.
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