Now for the controversial part, goat cheese. I love the stuff, and used a little in this dish. But, I'm not sure if it's truly allergen-free. Every now and then after eating goat cheese, I get a little tummy ache. I suffer no other ill effects like I do when consuming cow's milk or cheese, but I suspect some goat cheeses must have a small quantity of something suspicious in them. Anyone know? I have found the Trader Joe's Goat Cheese Cheddar to be tasty and easily digestible. Oh, and don't you love my fancy dancy cheese shredder? Seeing as how I rarely shed cheese, I simply haven't put it at the top of my priority list. Oh, and next time I will stick strictly to Daiya, this time I was in a pinch and didn't have enough in the fridge.
Dairy-free Creamy Mac n Cheese
1 (16 oz) package penne pasta
2 cups rice milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (want to know a secret? I only had regular yellow mustard and it tasted just fine)
3 cups "Cheese" of your choice - I used a combo of Daiya's mozzarella and cheddar and then shredded up some goat cheese I had
A few dashes of onion powder
1. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, set aside.
2. Scald the rice milk and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown rice flour, stirring for a couple minutes. It will clump a bit, this is your roux.
4. Add the rice milk a little at a time, whisking continuously until smooth. Add the salt and mustard and bring to a simmer.
5. Add all but 1/2 cup of the cheese and keep stirring for several minutes. It will take a few minutes for the cheese to melt completely, and it will look a little clumpy as pictured above. Don't worry! Preheat the oven to broil.
6. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
7. Transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Put under the broiler for about 5 minutes until the cheese has melted and is browning. Remove from oven and let rest several minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
