Macaroni casserole with cheese and mushrooms
10 servings
60 minutes
Pasta casserole with cheese and mushrooms is a true embodiment of the coziness of Italian cuisine. Its roots trace back to the tradition of baking pasta with cheese, enriched with delicate mushroom flavor. The aroma of sautéed leeks and creamy mushroom sauce reveals the depth of flavors, complemented by nutmeg and garlic. White mushrooms add special richness to the dish, while the combination of two types of cheese – hard and soft – gives the casserole an appetizing crust and tender texture. This dish is perfect for a family dinner or a cozy evening with a glass of white wine. Serve it after a slight cooling to allow the layers to set. Italians appreciate such casseroles for their simplicity and the ability to experiment by adding new ingredients based on mood. Serve with herbs and fresh vegetables, enjoying the richness of flavors and aromas.
1
Boil the pasta until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
- Pasta: 800 g
2
Slice the leek into large rings. Rinse the leek, separating the layers into individual rings.
- Leek: 1 piece
3
Clean the mushrooms, rinse in a bowl of water, and chop into large pieces.
- Button mushrooms: 1 kg
4
Sauté leeks in vegetable oil. Add mushrooms a little later.
- Vegetable oil: 70 ml
- Leek: 1 piece
- Button mushrooms: 1 kg
5
Pour cream and half of the milk into the onion-mushroom sauté. Add nutmeg and cook for 5-10 minutes without boiling.
- Heavy cream 35% fat: 500 ml
- Milk: 500 ml
- Nutmeg: 1 g
6
Crush the garlic and chop the parsley, add to the sauce and remove the pot from heat.
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Parsley: 40 g
7
Blend the sauce so that the mushrooms remain in small pieces.
8
Make mushroom powder: grind dried white mushrooms in a mortar. Add the powder to the creamy sauce. Wait for the sauce to cool.
- Porcini mushrooms: 15 g
9
Add salt and pepper.
10
Separate the whites from the yolks. Add the yolks to the remaining milk and whisk.
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Milk: 500 ml
11
Once the pasta is cooked, place the 'tubes' vertically in the baking dish with the hole facing up.
12
When the sauce has cooled, pour in the beaten yolks mixed with milk.
13
Grate the hard cheese Belster from 'Belebeevsky' into the sauce and mix.
- Hard cheese: 100 g
14
Pour the sauce over the pasta tubes.
15
Grate the soft cheese from 'Belebeevsky' (classic) and sprinkle it on top of the casserole. Place it in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
- Soft cheese: 200 g
16
To prevent the casserole from falling apart, it should be cooled for a couple of hours.
