Easy steps to stovetop mac and cheese, with variations

When macaroni and cheese is on the menu and I'm testing recipes, everyone shows up. They bring opinions on everything from the sharpness of the cheese to the pasta shape. Crumb toppings? Crisped in the oven? Some say yes, others want their comfort food straight from the saucepan.

Most cooks in my circle look beyond the blue box when serving company. They're willing to shred cheese, create a sauce, seek out imported pasta, pair wine with a revved-up version.

We might believe that mac and cheese is quintessentially American. However, Wikipedia (don't judge, I like my food history light) tells us that casseroles of pasta with cheese date back to the 14th century in Italy. Pasta with béchamel sauce and Cheddar cheese can be found in 18th century English cookbooks. President Thomas Jefferson reportedly ate it in Paris and served a version at a state dinner.

This country has embraced this perfect combination ever since. Today, macaroni and cheese features in some form on restaurant menus, in cookbooks, on food television and on most of our dinner tables.

At home, start with good pasta. For the best texture, I look for imported pastas made from durum wheat. Warm, melty cheese sauce clings best to tubular shapes — with or without ridges.

Small, bite-size penne or shells, springlike fusilli, rotini, farfalle, even wagon wheels stay al dente when sauced. Casarecce and cavatappi prove gorgeous; look for them in Italian specialty shops. I avoid the little ear-shaped orecchiette for mac and cheese because they nest together too readily. Elbow macaroni bores me.

Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water in a large pan, stirring often, until al dente. That means firmer than you might think. So set the timer 2 minutes earlier than the package recommends, then taste a noodle — it should have just a bit of resistance when bitten. Scoop out and set aside about a cup of the cooking liquid in case you need it to loosen your cheese mixture. Then drain the pasta and sauce it while it's still hot.

For the sauce, I start with olive oil or bacon over butter for flavor variety. Chopped onions and fresh garlic add texture. I am especially fond of replacing milk with mascarpone. Hailing from Italy's Lombardy region, mascarpone is buttery-rich, soft and beautifully unctuous. Made from cow's milk, mascarpone is set with citric or tartaric acid instead of rennet, so it's not technically a cheese. Cream cheese blended with a bit of milk or whipping cream makes a suitable substitute.

For cheese, I opt to shred my own. Pre-shredded cheeses save time, but the cellulose added to prevent caking means the cheese won't melt as nicely as block cheese. I like freshly shredded Parmesan rather than spongy orange cheese. Use the best imported Parmesan you can afford, but the less expensive grana Padano makes a fine stand-in. I like to add ricotta for a tangy flavor and hearty texture.

Creamy Bacon Mac and Cheese

Serves 6 to 8.

• 3 or 4 thick slices smoky bacon or 4 oz. pancetta

• 1 small onion or 2 large shallots, finely diced

• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 1/2 c. coarsely shredded Parmesan, plus more for serving

• 1 c. mascarpone, at room temperature

• 1/2 c. ricotta

• 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional

• 1 lb. tubular pasta shapes, such as casarecce, small rotini, fusilli, penne or cavatappi

• Sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions

Heat a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, cut bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Put bacon and onion into a 10-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until bacon is golden and a little crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, put Parmesan, mascarpone, ricotta, salt, pepper to taste and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Use a rubber scraper or wooden spoon to thoroughly blend the mixture.

Add pasta to the boiling water. Stir well and boil uncovered until al dente (nearly tender), usually 10 to 12 minutes. Set a timer and then start tasting the pasta near the allotted time. Al dente pasta has a toothsome texture (not at all soft and mushy) and tastes fully cooked. Scoop out and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

When pasta is done, drain it in a colander and then add it to the cheese mixture. Top with the bacon mixture. Use a large spoon to stir to coat all the pasta with the cheese mixture. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the mixture.

Serve immediately, garnished with sprigs of thyme. Pass extra Parmesan, if you wish.

Variations: Instead of mascarpone, use 6 ounces cream cheese at room temperature blended with 1/4 cup half-and-half.

For a smokier version, substitute smoked Gouda for the Parmesan.

Use 1/4 cup olive oil or butter (or white truffle oil) instead of bacon.

Substitute whole-wheat pasta.

Nutrition information per each of 8 servings:

Calories565Fat34 gSodium485 mg

Carbohydrates45 gSaturated fat18 gTotal sugars1 g

Protein20 gCholesterol91 mgDietary fiber3 g

Healthier Mac and Cheese

Serves 8.

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 4 c. mixed baby kale

• 1 c. coarsely shredded Parmesan

• 1 c. nonfat ricotta

• 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt (0 percent fat) or light sour cream

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional

• 1 lb. whole-wheat rotini or penne pasta

Directions

Heat a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Sauté onion in olive oil in a large skillet until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in kale to coat with oil.

Meanwhile, put Parmesan, ricotta, yogurt, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Use a rubber scraper or wooden spoon to thoroughly blend the mixture.

Add pasta to the boiling water. Stir well and boil uncovered until al dente (nearly tender), usually 8 to 10 minutes. Set a timer and then start tasting the pasta near the allotted time. Al dente pasta has a toothsome texture (not at all soft and mushy) and tastes fully cooked. Scoop out and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

When pasta is done, drain it in a colander and then add it to the cheese mixture. Top with the kale mixture. Use a large spoon to stir and coat all the pasta with the cheese mixture. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the mixture. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories306Fat7 gSodium362 mg

Carbohydrates46 gSaturat'd fat2 gTotal sugars3 g

Protein16 gCholesterol13 mgDietary fiber5 g