There’s a New York flavour to Ruben’s Deli in Melbourne. Inspired by the US city’s iconic Jewish delis – think Russ & Daughters and Katz’s – it’s a trove of babkas (including a Nutella version of the classic sweet bread); bagels and sandwiches piled high with pastrami, cured fish, egg salad and other fillings; matzo ball soup; and takeaway meats and fish.
This bake is a take on another dish associated with the US: mac’n’cheese. It’s a juiced-up version that relies on four cheeses, curly pasta and a few other accoutrements – the Ruben’s team says you can even top this with breadcrumbs (it makes its own, but quality store-bought crumbs will suffice) for an extra textural boost.
Ruben’s mac’n’cheese bake
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
2½ cups whole milk
300g curly pasta
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, finely grated
½ small onion, grated
2 tbsp plain flour
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup grated parmesan
Breadcrumbs, for topping (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 350°C.
Bring milk to a bare simmer in a small saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.
Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until just al dente (the pasta will continue to cook in the sauce). Drain pasta and let it cool.
Melt butter in a saucepan, add finely grated garlic clove and grated onion to the butter and cook, stirring, until onions are fragrant and beginning to soften. Sprinkle flour over and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute, until mixture starts to catch on bottom of the saucepan. Add warm milk, slowly, in a few additions, whisking to combine after each addition
Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring until sauce is thickened and doesn’t feel grainy (6–8 minutes).
Add fontina, gruyere and cheddar cheeses, sea salt and black pepper and stir until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth.
Remove from stove and mix sauce through the pasta.
Pour into a 2L baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Top with grated parmesan (and breadcrumbs if using) and bake until sauce is bubbling around the edges, about 20 minutes.
