White Wine Mac and Cheese

What happens when you combine white wine, macaroni and a cheesy, creamy sauce? Deliciousness – that’s what.

For those of you sitting at home questioning whether I’m just an alcoholic who likes mac and cheese, there is actually a bit of science as to why this pairing works so well. Okay, I don’t quite know if science is the right word for it, but it’s the combination of something fatty with something acidic.

The acid helps to cut through the fat, making for a lighter meal and adding a depth of flavour. Think about it – guacamole is just avocado (high fat) combined with onions, lime juice and tomatoes (all acidic foods). A classic pairing for salmon is lemon and you’ll often find cream sauces have a white wine base.

I’m going to take a moment now to remind everyone I am just a home cook with a bit too much spare time – not a professionally trained chef. If you would like an actual expert’s opinion, I highly recommend looking up Samin Nosrat and her amazing book and Netflix TV series Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.

If you do check it out on Netflix, make sure you have food on hand (this white wine mac and cheese perhaps), otherwise it will leave you VERY hangry.

White Wine Mac and Cheese
Serves 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

2 cups macaroni pasta
20gms butter
2 level tablespoons plain flour
1/2 cup white wine (I use a dry Chardonnay)
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
100gms aged cheddar or like cheese
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper

Start by placing a pot of boiling water on the stove over a low/medium heat. Salt the water before adding the pasta – cook to the packet instructions. When the pasta is al dente, drain and set aside.

Place the same pot back on the stove over a low heat. Add the butter and wait for it to completely melt. Once it has melted completely and is starting to bubble, add the flour and stir through ‘til combined,  forming a paste like consistency.

Next, pour in the white wine and stir through ‘til fully combined with the flour and butter. When choosing your wine, choose something that you would actually drink. After all, we are flavouring the sauce with the wine, so a bad wine will lead to a bad sauce. I normally opt for a dry chardonnay or white blend when cooking. You can easily pick up a half decent bottle from the supermarket for $12 - $15.

Cook the wine for 2–3 minutes or until it starts to thicken. When the sauce starts to thicken, pour in the cream, mustard and a generous pinch of black pepper. Stir all the ingredients together and continue to cook for another 2–3 minutes. Add 2/3 of the cheese, allowing it to melt into the sauce and fully combine before adding the cooked pasta back into the pot and stirring through.

Next, turn your oven onto to 180°C grill. Halve the mac and cheese between two ramekins and top with the remaining cheese and a sprinkle of bread crumbs. Place the ramekins in the middle of the oven and bake under the grill for 10-15 minutes or until golden on top.

Once golden on top, remove from the oven and serve.