Romanian Mac and Cheese (Romanian Pasta)
Classic Romanian mac and cheese with feta (or macaroane cu branza) made with only three ingredients in a skillet. Served with or without sugar.
Servings: 6
Calories: 304kcal
Ingredients
- 500 g/ 1.1 lbs elbow macaroni or other short pasta shapes
- 300 g/ 10.5 oz feta cheese or Romanian telemea Note
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil not olive oil
- sugar optional to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a large pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook according to the packet's instructions. Drain.
- In the meantime grate or crumble the cheese.
- Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet or another large pan. Add the noodles and the cheese to the pan and mix very well. Add some salt, if the feta you use is not very salty or if you use another kind of cheese.
- Fry the macaroni and cheese until crispy golden brown spots start to appear here and there. Stir often. Stop when the cheese is melted and you think that the macaroni has enough golden brown spots, about 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately either plain or sprinkled with sugar. Try the sugar version on a smaller portion to see if you like it. If you do (which you probably will) add more.
Video
Notes
Instead of feta or Romanian telemea, you could use most any other kind of cheese, I have repeatedly made this dish with Gouda or Cheddar as well. Sometimes I also mix different kinds of cheese rests I can find in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the dish | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 459mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g