If you would like a lighter more elegant macaroni and cheese this is for you. It’s like a cheese soufflé with some macaroni and is from a food developer/writer from the 1800’s, Clementine Paddleford. I made a few changes to the original recipe using a mix of cheeses. It’s creamy, light and delicious. Here’s how to make it:

Souffled Mac and cheese

serves 6

1 1/2 c scalded milk

1 c fresh breadcrumbs

2 c grated cheese (I used cheddar and gruyere)

1 c short macaroni cooked (elbow, cavatappi, small shells)

3 eggs separated

3 tbs butter melted

1 tbs grated onion

1 tbs chopped parsley

1/4 c chopped pimento

salt and pepper to taste ( I only added a pinch of salt)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9×13 casserole, boil macaroni al dente, rinse with cool water, drain set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff.

Heat milk to scalding, pour over the breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl, add grated cheese, stir to combine and set aside.

Add the cooked macaroni, butter, beaten egg yolks, onion, parsley and pimento, season with salt and pepper, stir to combine.

Fold in the egg whites, gently fold to combine so as not to deflate. Pour into the buttered casserole, top with buttered breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Let sit for approximately 15 minutes before serving.

For more recipes click here or visit @apuginthekitchen on Instagram/meta