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Horn & Hardart’s Macaroni and Cheese
Cookbook
The Automat’s macaroni and cheese was at one time the whole city’s soul food, a comfort to us all. This recipe comes from the files of the New York Daily News where I was the food editor. It was one of several Automat recipes published in a pamphlet by the News sometime in the 1950s. There are several other versions, but this fits my taste memory, too. The last Automat was only feet away from the landmark News Building where I worked, and, in emotionally weak moments, I would run downstairs for a plate of the fortifying mac and cheese.
Yield : Serves 2 or 3
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 tablespoons light cream (see Note)
- 1 packed cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- Dash of ground cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- Dash of ground white pepper, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ pound small elbow macaroni, cooked until barely done
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a shallow baking dish.
In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter, then blend in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes.
Beat in the milk, then the cream, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the cheese and cook until melted, then add the tomatoes, sugar, cayenne, and white pepper. Taste for salt, and add to taste, starting with about ½ teaspoon.
Stir in the macaroni.
Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake until the surface browns, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve hot.
Notes
This recipe must have been broken down from one that made an enormous quantity, which explains the small amount of light cream. If you don’t want to purchase a half-pint container of light cream just for 2 tablespoons, simply add 2 tablespoons more milk. You’ll never know the difference.
© 2004 Arthur Schwartz
Nutritional Information
Nutrients per serving
This recipe serves 3.
616 kcal
44 % daily value
3 % daily value
8 % daily value
443 mg
69 mg
24 g
9 g
3 g
69 g
78 mg
709 mg
16 g
27 g
18 % daily value
