Having two food bloggers in the house means we rarely go hungry—there’s always something tasty around, and plenty of ideas for making dishes even better.
Usually my son Cole is the first to chime in with his thoughts—he loved the idea of turning mac and cheese into a pie. Matt was a little disappointed he didn’t think of it himself. And the baby? He heard the word “pie” and expected something sweet, which prompted a full-on meltdown.
“No fake pie, real pie,” he insisted.
“Try Mommy’s pie,” I coaxed. “Look—Dad and Cole like it.” After more pleading and a pushed-away plate, I gave in.
“Okay, Connor, let’s make the pie real.” I added diced apples on top to satisfy his craving for something fruity. That’s why you’ll see apples in the ingredient photo below—the mild sweetness balanced the richness of the cheese and worked surprisingly well.
One of the key ingredients in this recipe is fairlife® milk, which gives the sauce an especially creamy texture. Because it’s a high-quality whole milk, I feel good about using it for my boys. Fairlife® milk has half the sugar of regular milk and is lactose-free, without sacrificing flavor.
Fairlife’s cold-filtration process boosts both protein and calcium, so it contains about 13 grams of protein per serving compared to the typical 8 grams in regular milk. That extra protein is one reason it’s our preferred milk at home.
Keep this recipe handy—your family will love this playful twist on a classic mac and cheese.
Meaty Mac and Cheese Pie
Serves 10–12 (Makes two 9″ pies or one 9×13″ casserole)
Ingredients
- 2 9″ pie crusts (homemade or ready-made)
- 1 lb. shell pasta
- 10 oz. ground sausage
- 8 oz. fontina cheese
- 8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar
- 4 oz. parmesan cheese
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large sage leaves
- 1/3 cup Marsala wine
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup fairlife Milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
If making pies: line two 9-inch pie pans with dough and blind-bake until golden, about 20 minutes at 350°F. Set the baked crusts aside. If using a casserole dish, lightly butter a 9×13 pan and set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside. While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high, add the sausage, and cook until fully done, about 7 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, add butter and sage over medium-high heat and cook until the butter is foamy, about 1–2 minutes. Add the Marsala to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the flour and cook until it forms a fragrant paste, about 2–3 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk and add salt, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Remove and discard the sage leaves. Remove the pan from the heat briefly and whisk in the beaten egg, then return to the heat and cook just until the sauce bubbles.
Stir cheese into the sauce until mostly melted, then fold in the pasta and sausage. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pie crusts or casserole pan. Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes for a casserole or 20–25 minutes for pies (tent pies with foil if the edges brown too quickly). Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley before serving.