Mac N’ cheese balls with Pink Sauce
It was a revelation of creativity, of focus on contrasting textures but most of all of taste! Thanks go to The Cheesecake Factory, the scene of this epicurean miracle! I don’t know if they were the first to make them, but I’ve never tasted better but this recipe is at least as good.
Nods should also go to Italy for the pasta, then to China as the first to roll noodles, then back to Italy for the ragu and alfredo sauces, then east again to Japan for the Panko breadcrumbs. I will include a brief nod to Tunis where the only local cheese was a white soft cheese. except for when the cheese boats arrived about twice a year carrying wedges of Edam cheese and for a couple of weeks makeshift cheese stalls bloomed on every corner, and at least the ex-pats stored 6 or so in their freezers to keep them afloat until the next cheese boat arrived (which alternated with the arrival of the banana boats.) Between the boats, we were grateful to the only stall in the Suq where an Italian man sold mozzarella and provolone cheese, as well as ravioli and tortellini. The final nod goes to America for the ingenuity to take an unfry-able dish and find a way to fry it. Aren’t we a curious melting pot or dare I suggest “frying pot”?
One more comment: ooey-gooey cheese hugging tender pasta, coated in a crunchy fried exterior served in a tomato/alfredo sauce imbued with garlic and cream. Oh my…..got to make this one!
So delicious - golden fried balls of tender, gooey mac and cheese in a rich Italian pink sauce.
Mac n’ cheese balls with Pink sauce
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups warm milk, warmed
1 pound grated Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound grated smoked Gouda or smoked provolone, fontina or other mild white cheese, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 2 tablespoons dried minced parsley
2 large eggs mixed with 1/4 cup milk
3 cups seasoned bread crumbs (Panko Bread Crumbs recommended)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Marinara or Alfredo sauce, to serve or Pink Sauce (recipe below) 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
-Cook the macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water then set aside.
-In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour into the butter and stir it with a whisk. Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk the warmed milk into the flour mixture until mixture is smooth. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the cheeses, and stir until melted and smooth; season with salt and pepper. Add smoked paprika and parsley and stir in. Fold the cheese sauce into the cooked macaroni. Pour the mac and cheese into a buttered shallow baking dish and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
-Shape the cold mac and cheese into meatball-sized balls, wetting your hands with water to keep the mixture from sticking to them from time to time, then place them onto a waxed paper-lined tray. Chill the balls several hours or overnight.
-Beat the eggs and 2 tablespoons milk together to form an egg wash and pour it into a shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs into another shallow bowl. Remove the mac and cheese balls from the fridge. Dip the balls into the egg wash then into the bread crumbs. Put the crumbs firmly on to the outside of the balls, re-rolling as necessary. Place the balls back into the fridge until you are ready to fry. (Can keep them chilled for up to 2 days.)
-Heat the oil in a large pot or deep-fat fryer to 350 degrees F. Fry the mac and cheese balls until they are golden brown and the centers are hot, turning frequently, about 5 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite marinara or Alfredo sauce or combination of both, for dipping.
Dip chilled mac n’ cheese balls into egg wash.
Roll balls in seasoned breadcrumbs pressing them firmly into ball.
Serve warm balls in pink sauce garnished with fresh chopped parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese.
Tender macaroni coated with ooegy-gooey cheese in a golden crunch!
