There are a lot of power couples out there in the world: Bill and Melinda, Kate and William, Pepper and Tony, Chandler and Monica, Blake and Ryan, Peanut butter and Jelly. These pairs are powerful because while, individually they are awesome, together create something better and bigger than the sum of their individual parts. I officiated the marriage of a power couple this weekend. I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Mac’n’Chini.
Macaroni and cheese is a major figure in our lives, always there for us when we reach out for quick, comforting, cheesy, delicious noodles. Later in life I met Arancini, reinvented from the previous night’s risotto, charged with gooey cheese, breaded and deep fried. I had a feeling they were perfect for each other. They agreed.
Ingredients
2 cups of leftover macaroni and cheese, refrigerated overnight
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp sour cream
2 oz muenster cheese, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1/2 cup flour
1 egg + 2 tbsp heavy cream, beaten
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt for sprinkling
Tomato sauce for dipping
Process
Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil.
Wearing food safe gloves*, in a large bowl combine leftover macaroni and cheese with mustard and sour cream. Depending on your macaroni and cheese recipe, you may need to add an egg yolk if it is too dry.
Take a cube of cheese and compress the macaroni mixture around it , creating a ball 1.5″ in diameter. The gloves really help shape the ball without the macaroni sticking to you. Place the ball on the aluminum foil-lined pan. You should end with 10 balls.
Gather three bowls, one for the flour, one for the egg and cream, and one for the parmesan and breadcrumbs.
Roll each ball in the flour bowl, one at a time, placing it back on the baking pan. Cover the balls completely in flour–there should not be any yellow showing. Discard remaining flour.
Again working one at a time, GENTLY place the ball in the egg mixture, fully coating it (be careful not to break it apart) and transfer to the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture. Return the ball to the baking pan and repeat with the remaining balls.
Fill a small pot about 1.5″ high with oil and heat oil to 340F. Once the temperature has been reached, drop in the balls two at a time. Fry for three minutes or until a golden brown. Remove from the pot using tongs and transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Sprinkle salt over the fried balls. Serve immediately.
If reheating, from fried, bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
*Food safe gloves are extremely helpful because the macaroni and cheese will be difficult to handle with your bare hands. It will stick to you and forming and shaping the balls will be very difficult. I highly recommend using them.