Homemade Blue Box Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 170 g dried macaroni
• 36 g prepared cheese powder
• 21 g cheddar cheese powder
• 5 g blue cheese powder
• 10 g Parmesan cheese powder
• 5 g buttermilk powder
• 20 g butter powder
• Reserved pasta water, as needed
• 300 g all-purpose flour, for optional fresh pasta
• 5 g kosher salt, for optional fresh pasta
• 1 large egg (about 50 g), for optional fresh pasta
• 80 g water, for optional fresh pasta
• 10 g olive oil, for optional fresh pasta
• Shredded cheese, such as Gruyère and American cheese, for optional homemade cheese powder

Method

1. If using dried macaroni, bring 48 ounces of water to a rolling boil. Add 170 g dried macaroni and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender.
2. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the macaroni.
3. To make the cheese blend, combine 21 g cheddar cheese powder, 5 g blue cheese powder, 10 g Parmesan cheese powder, 5 g buttermilk powder and 20 g butter powder.
4. Add approximately 36 g cheese blend to the hot macaroni. Stir in reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is smooth and coats the pasta.
5. For optional homemade cheese powder, spread thinly shredded cheese on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 120°F (49°C) for about 12 hours, until completely dry.
6. Blot the dehydrated cheese with paper towels to remove excess oil, then freeze for 30 minutes.
7. Blend the frozen dehydrated cheese into a fine powder and pass it through a fine-mesh sieve.
8. For optional fresh pasta, combine 300 g flour, 5 g kosher salt, 1 large egg, 80 g water and 10 g olive oil in a stand mixer until a dough forms.
9. Wrap the pasta dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
10. Roll and extrude the dough into macaroni shapes using a pasta extruder.
11. Cook the fresh pasta in boiling water for no more than 90 seconds. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
12. Add the cheese powder to the drained fresh pasta and stir in reserved pasta water a little at a time until smooth and creamy.