If you've ever been to a little restaurant called The Cheesecake Factory you may have marveled over a plethora of tasty foods, namely the cheesecake. After all it is what they're famous for! Believe it or not though there are other delicious things to eat there as well, my personal favorite being the fried macaroni and cheese balls. Well friends...I have the recipe!! Get ready to have your world rocked.You'll need:
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups warmed milk (plus 2 tablespoons for egg wash)
2 large eggs
1 pound grated smoked gouda
1 pound grated cheddar
3 cups seasoned bread crumbs
vegetable oil for frying
marinara or vodka sauce for serving
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the macaroni according to instructions on the package. Drain, rinse with cold water, then drain again and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour into the butter and stir it with a whisk. Cook for two minutes. Whisk warmed milk into flour mixture being sure to work out any lumps. Cook until sauce thickens. Remove from heat, add cheeses and then stir until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the cheese sauce into macaroni. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a shallow pan and refrigerate until completely cold (approximately 2 hours). Shape the cold mac and cheese into meatball-sized balls and place them onto a wax paper-lined tray. Freeze the balls overnight. Beat the eggs and 2 tablespoons milk together to form an egg wash and pour it into a shallow bowl. Put the bread crumbs into another shallow bowl. Remove mac and cheese balls from the freezer . Dip them into egg wash and then into bread crumbs. Put the balls back into the freezer until ready to fry. Heat oil in a fryer at 350 degrees. Fry the balls until they are golden brown and center is hot (approximately 5 minutes). Serve hot with marinara or vodka sauce.
Yum!
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