I’ve always loved Wallace and Gromit. Anyone else? Raise your virtual hand if you like ‘em too!
And I’ve seen every movie, my absolute favorite being A Grand Day Out. You know, the one in which the dog-and-man duo build a bright orange rocket in their garage, blast off to the moon in search of cheese (to pair with their crackers, of course), and meet a strange little skiing robot? Yeah, that one.
There’s just something cute and whimsical about the film. Heck, it makes me wish I could fashion a rocket in my own garage. Wouldn’t that be cool?!
If you’ve never seen any of the movies (in which case you should watch them ASAP), Wallace is a bald-and-eccentric-inventor-slash-cheese-enthusiast and Gromit is his intelligent-yet-mute-canine. They’re also animated characters modeled from clay, which is unfortunate because if they were real, they would love the upcoming recipe. Wallace and Gromit may have gone to the moon for cheese restocking purposes, but the cheeses I used hardly require a lunar trip.
And trust me when I say these are out-of-this-world good!
Mini Shells and Cheese Ramekins
Yield: two 6-ounce or one 10-ounce ramekin(s)
- 2.5 ounces mini shells pasta
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- dash of cayenne pepper
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1.5 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided (for topping)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease two 6-ounce ramekins with butter or cooking spray.
- Place a small pot of water over high heat. Bring water to a boil and then add shell pasta. Cook for 8 minutes and drain.
- Melt butter in a separate saucepan over low heat. Add flour, stirring with whisk.
- Once butter appears slightly foamy, add milk and cook until smooth. Turn off heat.
- Add cheese and seasonings to hot butter mixture, stirring to combine. Add cooked shell pasta and stir well.
- Divide shells and cheese between ramekins. Divide 1.5 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese and sprinkle onto pasta.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes and serve.
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OMG!! I ADORE Wallace and Gromit!! Ever since PBS featured Nick Park and his claymation and then showing The Wrong Trousers, I have been smitten! And I have the old VHS tapes, for which I keep my vcr – lol! I could go on and on about W & G, but suffice it to say I love the stories, the attention to detail, and all the characters (Sean the Sheep!).
Oh, and your Shells and Cheese look divine! I love the individual servings…. so cute!