flipMakkaroni mit Parmesankäse, the Master's Pasta with Parmesan
Makkaroni mit Parmesankäse, the Master's Pasta with Parmesan
Why this dish? Macaroni with Parmesan was, by the admission of his contemporaries, Beethoven's favorite dish. He demanded it and jealously supervised it in the kitchen. It was HIS indulgence, the dish that brought him out of his usual frugality.
Long pasta coated with plenty of butter and generously grated Parmesan, melted together into a simple, rich, and savory dish. The comfort of a man who loved few things, but this one madly.
Parmesan! Lots and lots of Parmesan — and let the cook not skimp, or I'll know it! My macaroni, I want it melting under the butter and covered with cheese until you can no longer see the pasta. It's the only dish for which I leave my piano without grumbling, you see. Grate, my friend, grate again — a man who can no longer hear the orchestra has every right to hear his cheese melt.
- •Macaroni (long Italian pasta) — a generous handful per person (base of the dish)
- •Parmesan — in large quantity (umami and fermented signature)
- •Butter — generously (creamy binder)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
- •Black pepper — a turn of the mill (spice)
Makkaroni mit Parmesankäse, the Master's Pasta with Parmesan
Long pasta coated with plenty of butter and generously grated Parmesan, melted together into a simple, rich, and savory dish. The comfort of a man who loved few things, but this one madly.
Why this dish? Macaroni with Parmesan was, by the admission of his contemporaries, Beethoven's favorite dish. He demanded it and jealously supervised it in the kitchen. It was HIS indulgence, the dish that brought him out of his usual frugality.
Parmesan! Lots and lots of Parmesan — and let the cook not skimp, or I'll know it! My macaroni, I want it melting under the butter and covered with cheese until you can no longer see the pasta. It's the only dish for which I leave my piano without grumbling, you see. Grate, my friend, grate again — a man who can no longer hear the orchestra has every right to hear his cheese melt.
Ingredients (period version)
- Macaroni (long Italian pasta) — a generous handful per person (base of the dish)
- Parmesan — in large quantity (umami and fermented signature)
- Butter — generously (creamy binder)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
- Black pepper — a turn of the mill (spice)
Ingredients
- Macaroni or bucatini — 320 g (base of the dish)
- Freshly grated Parmesan — 120 g (umami and fermented signature)
- Butter — 60 g (creamy binder)
- Pasta cooking water — 1 ladle (creamy emulsion)
- Salt and black pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Cook the pasta in salted water until tender, reserve a ladle of cooking water.
- Drain and return to the pot off the heat.
- Add the butter in pieces and mix until melted.
- Add the Parmesan handful by handful with a little cooking water, stirring vigorously to create a creamy emulsion.
- Season with pepper, adjust salt, and serve immediately with a final dusting of Parmesan.
How it was made : In the early 19th century, Italian pasta and Parmesan were already circulating in the good houses of Vienna, a cosmopolitan city of the Empire. They were served simply, with butter and cheese, long before elaborate sauces. It was a comfort dish as well as a small imported luxury.
The contemporary twist : Finish in a skillet with a gratinéed Parmesan crust, and name the dish 'Macaroni Opus 1' on the menu.
Ludwig van Beethoven · Charactorium
