Modern Mac & Cheese

I have a confession to make. Deep breath, here we go...

I don't like "real" macaroni and cheese. Let that sink in. I like to think of myself as an adventurous eater; I recently went nuts over a truffle-flavored sheep milk cheese called Moliterno. Swoon. But sometimes I would much rather have the creamy, familiar stuff from the blue box than homemade macaroni and cheese.

This recipe, though, might have converted me. It's ridiculously simple: no roux, no baking, no mustard or cayenne. Sage oil lends some earthiness, and, because there is no béchamel, all of the creaminess comes from the cheese itself, which means an intense burst of cheese flavor. The recipe calls for gruyere, but any good melting cheese will do. And, if you happen to get your hands on some moliterno, do yourself a favor and toss it in. You'll be in heaven.