You can make these with leftover basic mac and cheese, or my grown-up version, or the one that you always make when you crave mac and cheese; just be sure that it is the kind of mac and cheese that solidifies once it has spent the night in the fridge, not the creamy comfort version whcih, though delicious, will fall apart when you attempt to batter and fry it.
These would be absolutely delicious chucked in the deep fryer but I can never quite bring myself to deep fry anymore. I used less than a cup of oil and got decadent crispy bites none the less. These are delicious as a snack that actually staves off a teen's appetite, or with cocktails on a late, indulgent Sunday afternoon.
I used the leftovers of Saturday's mac and cheese, a bit over half of the recipe, which made 12 two to three bite sized nibbles.
leftover mac and cheese
2 eggs
1 cup panko
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt
Remove the leftover mac and cheese from the pan. It should come out in one piece. Using a sharp knife, cut it into equal bite-sized pieces.
Beat the 2 eggs in a shallow dish. Measure the panko out into another.
Roll each piece of the mac and cheese liberally in the egg, and then in the panko, pressing the panko onto the mac and cheese on all sides to get as much as possible to adhere. Set aside on a plate and repeat until all of the pieces of mac and cheese are coated in panko. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until a piece of panko that is tossed in immediately turns golden browm. Lower the heat and, working in batches, cook the mac and cheese until golden brown on the bottom, before flipping and cooking the other side. This will take about a minute a side. As you remove the pieces from the pan, lay them on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Serve immediately while still hot and crispy, sprinkled with a little salt. Plain table salt is just fine, though Maldon salt crystals taste particularly delicious.
Comments