For baked macaroni as it was probably served at Monticello, we turn to Mary Randolph’s “Macaroni” in The Virginia House-Wife, which is essentially the same as a recipe that survives in the family manuscripts. Thomas Jefferson preferred real imported Parmesan cheese and tried to keep Monticello’s larder stocked with a ready supply. Today, you’ll find labeled “Parmigiano-Reggiano” in the market.
Ingredients
4 cups whole milk
1 pound tube-shaped macaroni, such as small penne
Salt
8 ounces Parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano), or extra sharp Farmhouse Cheddar
About 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
Instructions
1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat it to 375 degrees. Stir together the milk and 4 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni, stirring well, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is tender (about 2 minutes for fresh, 4 to 6 minutes for fresh and dried, and 8 to 12 minutes for dried and boxed). Lightly drain the macaroni in a colander (it should be a little wet) and return to the pot. Season with salt to taste and toss well.
2. Lightly butter a 2-quart casserole and cover the bottom with a third of the macaroni. Dot it with a third of the butter and shave a third of the cheese over it with a vegetable peeler or mandolin. Repeat the layers twice more, finishing with a thick layer of cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serves 6.
"Relish the Holiday," June 2006. Recipe from Dining at Monticello: In Good Taste and Abundance, edited by Damon Lee Fowler and published by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc., 2005. Distributed by the University of North Carolina Press.
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