Marshall Field's Cheese and Pasta

Marshall Field's Cheese and Pasta

1 pound spiral pasta (or shells or macaroni)

3 cups whipping cream

1 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (divided)

1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until tender. Drain, rinse and cool. Set aside.

Pour cream in heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat and warm slowly, stirring. Do not boil. When cream is hot, gradually whisk in 12 ounces of the cheese. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire, pepper, cayenne and salt. Remove from heat.  (I cheated...I used the microwave to heat the cream in a large bowl for 3 minutes 33 seconds then I added the remaining ingredients and stirred for a couple minutes until the cheese was mostly melted.)

Set pasta in large bowl. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  (I cheated here too....I buttered the baking dish and put the hot pasta in there and then stirred in the cheese sauce.  No point in messing up extra dishes!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter bottom of high-sided baking dish. There should be at least 1 inch of space at top of dish after pasta mix is added. Pour cheese and pasta mixture into dish. Top with remaining 4 ounces of cheese.

Cover and bake in preheated oven 40 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.  

I've had this recipe for years but I can't remember where I found it....I clipped it out of a newspaper.  

This was very good!