Mac and Cheese – American Cheesy Pasta
·Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta in salted water, but don't let it cook all the way through as usual — drain it about two minutes early so it's still slightly firm. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Toast the oregano
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot or pan, add the oregano and toast briefly. Remove from the heat.
Drain the pasta
Drain the cooked pasta, but set aside a cup of the cooking water.
Mix everything together
Combine the pasta with the butter and oregano. Add the mascarpone and most of the grated cheese, saving a little for sprinkling on top. Grate in a little nutmeg and season with salt, if needed, and pepper.
Stir it all in
Stir well and place over low heat. Add the pasta water and stir until the cheese has melted.
Bake
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese, and bake in the preheated oven for ten minutes. After ten minutes, you can raise the temperature to let the cheesy top turn golden.
