Do you need to make a quick lunch/dinner for kids or anyone? Still in the clothes you slept in? Back/neck aching from sitting in the most un-ergonomically sound position with your laptop? Stomach growling loud enough you think you have to mute yourself on Zoom?
This isn’t a saucy mac and cheese but delicious and faster than homemade mac and cheese and basically as fast as boxed. You apply the pasta carbonara principle to create a light creamy sauce that smoothly incorporates the cheese using no cream or milk at all (neither of which I have at the moment).
In this version I used:
one egg and one leftover egg white (because my husband’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe uses 1 egg and 1 egg yolk) but you should use 2 whole eggs if you have them
about 2/3 – 1 cup grated cheese (mostly Parm, a little sharp cheddar)
lots of freshly ground black pepper
large clove of minced garlic
some fresh herbs
1 lb pasta
You whisk everything but the pasta together in a bowl. Cook the pasta in plenty of well-salted water. Scoop out about 1/3 -2/3 cup cooking water just before you drain pasta. Put the pasta back in the pot. Add the egg mixture to the pasta along with 1/3 cup (to start) of the hot cooking water and stir like mad for a few seconds. Add more cooking water if too thick. If thin seeming put back on a low burner for a few seconds and stir as the egg in the sauce thickens a bit.
Et Voila! No clumping cheese, silky sauce, happy tummy!
P.S. You could add a glug of olive oil or some butter for even more luscious results.
