Macaroni Gratin
This playful variation of a basic lasagna reaches deep inside the brain and pulls out childhood memories of favorite foods that always seemed fun to eat. First, there’s pasta and tomato sauce and all the variations that were so thoroughly enjoyed as a child…and again as an adult. Then there’s the creamy gratin vibe that comes very close to a macaroni and cheese sensation…even the pasta shape seems familiar. And finally, slicing into the gratin and lifting out that first piece seems so lasagna-like – right down to the crispy bits of sauce on the side and tomato bits falling
Subscription Required For This Content
This playful variation of a basic lasagna reaches deep inside the brain and pulls out childhood memories of favorite foods that always seemed fun to eat. First, there’s pasta and tomato sauce and all the variations that were so thoroughly enjoyed as a child…and again as an adult. Then there’s the creamy gratin vibe that comes very close to a macaroni and cheese sensation…even the pasta shape seems familiar. And finally, slicing into the gratin and lifting out that first piece seems so lasagna-like – right down to the crispy bits of sauce on the side and tomato bits falling off the spatula before landing on the plate. It’s tempting to call this comfort food…but that feels a bit like a cliché. To me, it’s more of a forget-about-your-age-and-daydream-a-bit kind of food – definitely retro…but oh so soothing.
The success of this gratin dish is reliant on two advance preparations – a hearty tomato sauce and a creamy béchamel sauce that is not too thick. Both of these preparations can be made days in advance. After that bit, then the dish is really just partially cooking the pasta, mixing it with tomato sauce and topping with the béchamel, then popping it into the oven for roughly 20 minutes.
Difficulty: simple
Yield: makes one large rectangular pan (33 x 23 cm/13×9 inches)