Macaroni

Origin

Macaroni is a broad historic term for dried durum pasta; the elbow shape popular today spread through Italian and later American cooking. Baked and creamy preparations made it a household staple far beyond Italy.

How to make them

1. 01

   Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente.

2. 02

   For mac and cheese, make a béchamel or cheese sauce and fold in hot pasta.

3. 03

   For baked dishes, mix with sauce, top with cheese or crumbs, and bake until bubbling.

4. 04

   Underbake slightly if the casserole will rest before serving.

Storage

Dried macaroni keeps up to 2 years cool and dry. Cooked macaroni refrigerates 3–5 days; creamy bakes reheat with a splash of milk.

Popular dishes

• Macaroni and Cheese

  Creamy cheddar (or mixed cheeses) over elbow macaroni—American comfort food.

• Pasta al Forno

  Italian baked macaroni with ragù and cheese.

• Macaroni Salad

  Cold picnic salad with mayonnaise, celery, and pickles or herbs.

• Chili Mac

  Elbow pasta folded into hearty chili for a one-pot meal.

• Greek Pastitsio-Style Macaroni

  Baked layered pasta with spiced meat sauce and béchamel.