An Italian Rates Macaroni & Cheese - Kraft, Velveeta, Homemade + A 13th Century Recipe

We know Alessio LOVES pasta, but does he love macaroni and cheese?? We're doing the ultimate Mac & cheese taste test to see if we can find a recipe that's Italian approved. Macaroni and cheese originated in Italy after all! First, he tries everyone's favorite, Kraft Mac & Cheese, then, Velveeta Shells and cheese. After that, I make him my delicious homemade Italian macaroni and cheese recipe with besciamella, gorgonzola, parmigiano reggiano, brie and fontina. (You could also call this pasta quattro formaggi or "four cheese pasta". Finally, we finish with a 13th century Italian macaroni and cheese recipe from a Medieval cooking book called, Liber de Coquina. It's called de lasanis! Guinness World Records lists this as the very first macaroni and cheese recipe and we show you how to make it in the video! Which Mac & cheese recipe will be the winner??

Thank you for all of your love and support! Don't forget to subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss a new video! You can also follow us on our other socials below! Ciao for now! -Jessi and Alessio

[marybeyiard]

I think they should do more cooking from his an her childhood an I love their past videos too where they do teach u the history of the dish

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

While the first recorded recipe similar to a macaroni and cheese did come from Italy in the 13th century, the first modern recipe for mac and cheese actually comes from a 1769 book called The Experienced English Housekeeper written by Elizabeth Raffald! Raffald's recipe is for a Béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese (a Mornay sauce in French cooking), which is mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked until bubbly and golden. The UK really thought they were safe this time around 😂.

As for the dish's US history...you can thank the FRENCH for being the ones to serve Thomas Jefferson the dish in the late 1700s! He loved macaroni so much, he brought back a recipe to Monticello and tried to get US Ambassador to France William Short to purchase a macaroni-making machine in 1793. But the machine didn't work, so Jefferson ended up importing Parmesan and macaroni for himself. Mac and cheese was once viewed in the US as a dish for the upper-class, but once factory production of the ingredients made it affordable, everyone started eating it.

[sadiedane]

I actually really appreciate that I feel like Alessio really modified his dislike of the Kraft when he found out when/why it was created, and why it was powder cheese. I mean, he didn’t say it was good lol, but you could see he understood the time and circumstance in which it was created and I think that’s really cool.

[Andrew-Collet]

I've just come across your videos today when youtube recommended it, and I've been having fun watching! Also, as a side note, I appreciate Alessio acknowledging that Kraft may not be the best all-around taste, but it serves its purpose with being a cheap meal, especially back when it was made. Instead of just writing it off entirely. I grew up on Kraft Mac & Cheese and still like to have it every so often. It is very nostalgic!

[gshaunsweeney]

Most people don't realize Kraft owns Velveeta. So technically they're both Kraft mac and cheese. Just a different type.

[SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

So we now know the history of mac and cheese, but what about the history of cheese? Well, the earliest archaeological evidence of cheesemaking in dates back to 5500 BCE and is found in what is now Kuyavia, Poland. However, we still don't know the exact origin whether it's Poland or somewhere else since there's no conclusive evidence. Ancient Greece on the other hand credits the mythological culture hero Aristaeus as the one to discover cheese. And cheesemaking became commonplace once the Roman Empire came around. In conclusion...cheese is love, cheese is life.

[jessicapadron]

As a kid we had Kraft Mac and cheese with ground beef and mushroom soup. Our ghetto version of beef stronganoff.

[sassygrammy]

In the mid 60s when my children were small and money was tight, I served the first Mac and Cheese once or twice a week for supper. I was an economical dish. You could buy 3 boxes for $1.00. If it was on sale, one could get 4 boxes for a $1.00.😊

[Emilyhildegaard]

I cook REAL food in my kitchen, but I confess to LOVING Kraft Mac and Cheese. It is a life-long love affair. I love the size of the mac and the taste of the imitation cheese. I can't help myself. My husband and I don't eat it often, but sometimes we pair it with the hot dogs he loves. Guilty pleasures.

[deannaeakle]

Growing up in the 60s in SE Oklahoma there were only two or 3 cheeses available in our grocery stores. I remember sliced American Cheese, blocks of Colby cheese and regular cheddar. Cottage cheese was also available. The first time I tried Parmesan was out of a boxed meal from Chef Boyardee Boxed Spaghetti Meal kits. There was a little can of pre-grated Parmesan in the box lol. Monterey Jack was sold in the 70s at the bigger stores around 55 miles from our house so we rarely got it

[christinainmichigan]

My Mac n cheese is made so the grandkids will eat it. Make a sauce of butter half n half then in a bowl I grind up a 1/2 cup of each of these: Colby, Colby Jack, cheddar, sharp cheddar, extra sharp cheddar, American, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, Gouda, any other cheeses you want to add or take out. I mix it in the bowl add the cooked pasta and 2 eggs put cheese on top and pop in the oven. The grandkids love it. My granddaughter told me it was the best in the world. Could be to much cheese for a lot of people. I make it for special occasions.

[kalliana]

I can't believe Alessio is actually eating Mac n Cheese. He deserves so much credit for this LMAO 🤣

[nelsonhemstreet]

Kraft Mac&CH is total comfort food. My mom added hamburger to it. I also add onions, peppers, garlic, peas and corn, plus black pepper and a little crushed red pepper.

[cb]

Your kitchen is so homey and cute! Love the smile when Alessio loves the Mac and cheese. You both were so fun!

[a.francis]

I have been eating butter and Parmesan on pasta since I was a very poor college student. It was cheap and SOOOO tasty!!! It is such a comfort food.

[barbaraharrison]

I grew up on homemade Mac and cheese made with a béchamel sauce with (as my daughter says) “enough pepper that it bites back”then baked. Nothing beats it!

[marieH]

Thank you SO much for the way you approached this video!
When you haven't experienced much as a kid, box mac and cheese was a warm meal ... 4 for $1.00
💜

[ViCTRiA]

jessis enthusiasm and happiness inspires me to be like this shes so positive and sweet

[IAMJORDI]

I don’t know if anybody would like to try it, but everybody always raves about my macaroni and cheese recipe but I’m from the southern United States

Baked buttermilk macaroni and cheese
•
• 6 eggs
• 2-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 3-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 8- oz elbow macaroni cooked and drained
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Stir in melted butter, cheese and salt.
• Add cooked pasta and stir to coat.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Sprinkle extra shredded cheese on top it desired
• Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes.

[thewhamji]

My wife and I just made the last one they tried. We didn’t have the same cheese they used. But we did have $25 worth of parmigiano Reggiano. It was really good! But I think it would be better with multiple cheeses. Like use the cheeses they used with here homemade Mac and cheese, and put the parmigiano Reggiano as the top layer and broil it for the last few minutes. But for just 3 ingredients, I must say, it was definitely worth trying 👍