The Fox Family Macaroni Salad recipe includes canned tuna and “salad olives,” green Spanish olives with pimento.

Photo: Photo By Deanna Fox

The Fox Family Macaroni Salad recipe includes canned tuna and “salad olives,” green Spanish olives with pimento.

Photo: Photo By Deanna Fox

Five short-pasta recipes to get you through quarantine

Open any pantry in America, and you are likely to find a box of elbow macaroni. These little semicircles are perhaps the only truly American pasta shape, rarely found in other countries and certainly not in Italy, but that’s OK. We’ve taken the humble box of elbows and transformed it into our own base for standard recipes that cook quickly, feed our families and easily meet our cravings for carbs. Plenty of timeless American salads and casseroles include elbow macaroni, especially the many variants the carry the “and cheese” suffix.

The recent run on grocery stores and shelves emptied of pasta show us how vital we find dried pasta to our daily diets. Here, we’ve created five recipes for you to use those boxes of elbow mac in your own kitchen with plenty of ideas for adapting them to create alternate recipes. These recipes have been tested using gluten-free and parboiled pasta, and both work well. (Be sure to cook according to manufacturer’s recommendations.) While elbow macaroni works best, other shapes (from bow ties to wagon wheels) can also be used in these recipes.

American goulash is a one-pot variation on classic Hungarian goulash. Whereas the European version relies on a well-seasoned tomato sauce to slowly braised cubes of beef, carrot and potatoes, American goulash mimics the same flavors while substituting in ground meat, bell peppers and elbow macaroni for an easy weeknight meal that comes together in 30 minutes. The flavors can easily be adjusted to make different versions: substitute half of the water for stock or broth for more richness, and consider trying other ground meat (turkey, pork, chicken) instead of beef. Instead of paprika, basil and oregano, use one teaspoon each of oregano and cumin and a one-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a Mexican riff. Add jalapenos (pickled, if you want some extra acidic flavors), a squeeze of lime and some fresh cilantro to garnish.

Macaroni and cheese is a standard recipe in most American households, but the advent of cheffed-up food magazines has many of us forgoing the lowly box of elbows for something seen as more stylish, like fusilli, cavatappi and mafalda. Stick to the basics here and go with elbow mac, which is better at trapping the cheesy bechamel sauce that good mac and cheese builds from. Our recipe relies on a bit of prepared mustard, paprika and fresh nutmeg to create layers of flavor, but feel free to add other items as desired. When folding in the cooked elbow macaroni, consider adding some cooked broccoli, leftover shreds or chunks of chicken, diced ham, roughly-chopped roasted red peppers or even halved cherry tomatoes that you left in the plastic container on the counter for too long, and now they are starting to shrivel. This is fridge-raid cooking at its finest!

The same idea applies for our Florentine casserole. The term “Florentine” is really just a cookbook writer’s way of saying, “it has spinach.” If you are looking to work some leafy greens into your diet, this is a tasty way to do it. Fresh spinach - even if it is starting to wilt - works great here, but frozen spinach is good, too. Just be sure you allow a little extra cooking time for the water to evaporate from the frozen spinach. Leftover shredded chicken can be used in place of the cubed chicken in our recipe. If you, like me, randomly bought sundried tomatoes or canned artichoke hearts one day at the market and then never used them, add them here, but just be sure to give them a rough chop and drain them. A can of cream of chicken soup can be used instead of milk and eggs in this recipe -- thin it with a bit of water or chicken stock, if desired.

Pasta Primavera is a great springtime recipe and works well served cold as the next day’s lunch (provided you have any leftovers). You can add whatever vegetables suit your tastes, and bags of frozen vegetables can be happily used here. If you have any slightly frost-bitten veggies tucked into the corner of your freezer, this is a good way to use them up.

Classic macaroni salad is my mother’s version. This is perhaps her signature dish, one she can make blindfolded and is requested for every family get-together and camping trip in warmer months. Salad olives are green Spanish olives that are packed with slivers of pimento, but plain green olives are good in this recipe, as well. Macaroni salad is an anytime snack that kids and adults both willingly scoop for themselves, and a batch goes quickly.

Each of these recipes is designed to make four servings, and can be halved or doubled to make enough to suit your household’s needs.

Deanna Fox is a food journalist and owner of Albany Cooking School. www.albanycooks.com.

American Goulash

Serves 4

1 pound ground beef, preferably an 80/20 blend (drain off extra fat is you can’t find lean ground beef)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped into a medium dice

1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and chopped into a medium dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon paprika, and style

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1½ cups water

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 15-ounce can plain tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce)

8 ounces dried elbow macaroni

In a large pot, begin by browning the ground beef over medium heat and breaking it up into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Once the meat is mostly browned, add in the yellow onion and bell pepper. Sprinkle half of your salt over the vegetables and beef, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the onion and pepper have softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic does not burn.

Add the salt, paprika, basil and oregano and stir through the beef and vegetables, and when just fragrant, mix in the tomato paste. When the tomato paste starts to stick to the bottom of the pot (after about 1 minute) add the remaining ingredients, including the dried elbow macaroni. Increase the heat and bring all ingredients to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low.

Allow the pot to simmer for 15 minutes, covered. Once most of the liquid is absorbed and the elbow macaroni is cooked, it is ready to serve.

Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 4, with leftovers likely

1 sleeve of Saltine or Ritz crackers, crushed into large crumbs

¼ cup unsalted butter, plus more for pan

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk (whole or 2%)

1 teaspoon prepared mustard (yellow or Dijon preferred)

½ teaspoon fresh black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (slightly more if using pre-ground)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups shredded cheese (cheddar is great, or you can create a mix of cheeses you like best)

8 ounces elbow macaroni, boiled in salted water until just fork tender then drained

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted, then stir in flour to make a roux. Heat and stir until mixture is smooth and bubbling, about two minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Add the mustard, pepper, paprika, nutmeg and kosher salt. Return to the heat and bring to a low boil, then add cheese and stir until melted. Turn off the heat and add in the cooked elbow macaroni. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish, then sprinkle the crushed crackers over the top.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Place under the broiler for five minutes to brown the top if needed. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Chicken Florentine Bake

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs, cut into cubes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)

4 cups (or big handfuls) of fresh spinach, or one 10-ounce package of frozen spinach

Chopped artichoke hearts and/or sundried tomatoes (optional)

1¼ cups milk

2 large eggs, lightly whisked

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided in half

8 ounces elbow macaroni, boiled in salted water until just fork tender, then drained

½ cup Panko or unseasoned breadcrumbs

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.

Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the cube chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and slightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until the spices and garlic are just fragrant. Add in the spinach and cook until the fresh spinach wilts or until the frozen spinach is thawed and most moisture has evaporated. Add in artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes, if using.

Reduce the heat to low. Add in the milk, eggs, mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese. Add to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the cheese has melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked elbow macaroni. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Mix together the remaining Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs together and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Place under the broiler for five minutes to brown the top if needed. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Pasta Primavera

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ of a medium red onion, diced

4 cups vegetables of choice (carrots in thin rounds, strips of red bell pepper, chopped asparagus, broccoli florets, yellow squash or zucchini cut into thin half-moons, grape tomatoes and peas all work well for pasta primavera)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about half a lemon)

½ cup heavy cream or half and half

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked in heavily salted water, with 1/2 cup of little pasta cooking water reserved when draining the macaroni

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, or just until the onion is starting to soften. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until they are just fork-tender and not mushy. (Keep in mind that vegetables like broccoli and asparagus take longer to cook than peas, so add vegetables in layers if needed to prevent overcooking.) Add the garlic, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper and kosher salt and cook for an additional minute. Add the lemon juice and heavy cream or half and half and cook until the liquid has reduced by about half and is starting to look very creamy. Add in the drained pasta plus reserved 1/2 cup of cooking water (the starch in the water will help everything bind together and create a velvety sauce) and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with extra cheese and fresh parsley to garnish.

Fox Family Macaroni Salad

Serves 4 generously, with leftovers

8 ounces dried elbow macaroni

3 eggs

½ medium yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/3 cup salad olives, drained and roughly chopped

1 can tuna, drained

1 teaspoon prepared mustard (yellow, Dijon or spicy brown all work well)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon fresh black pepper

Pinch of white sugar

1 cup mayonnaise

Add the elbow macaroni and three eggs (in their shells) into a large pot, then cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until pasta is fork-tender. Drain and cool. Once eggs are cool, peel them and roughly chop.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and stir together well. Add in the eggs and elbow macaroni. Stir well. Chill for 2 hours or up to overnight before serving.