Fried Mac and Cheese Sticks
 
Makes about 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 quarts water
  • 4½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 12 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1¼ cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning*, divided
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • ½ cup finely diced part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • Barbecue sauce, to serve
Instructions
  1. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing edges to extend over sides of pan.
  2. In a medium Dutch oven, bring 3 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil over high heat. Stir in pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.
  3. In the same Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons flour; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add Monterey Jack cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta; let cool slightly. Stir in mozzarella cheese. Spoon into prepared loaf pan, smoothing top. Cover, and refrigerate until chilled and very firm, about 6 hours. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.
  4. In a clean Dutch oven, fill halfway with vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°.
  5. Invert loaf onto a cutting board, discarding plastic wrap. Using a serrated knife, cut chilled loaf crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into 4 pieces.
  6. In a shallow bowl, mix together remaining 1¼ cups flour, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning.
  7. In another shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
  8. In another shallow bowl, place bread crumbs. Working in batches, dredge pasta in flour mixture, then in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then in bread crumbs.
  9. Fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels. Serve with barbecue sauce, if desired.
Notes
*We used Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/fried-mac-and-cheese-sticks/