Macaroni with Tomatoes and Cheese

Recipe No. 213 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Macaroni, Spaghetti, Noodles and Rice. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Macaroni — 8 pounds
• Salt — 4 ounces (8 mess kit spoons)
• Water, boiling — 8 gallons (32 No. 56 dippers)
• Tomato puree — 2 No. 10 cans
• Water — 3 quarts (3 No. 56 dippers)
• Onions, chopped — 2 pounds (2 No. 56 dippers)
• Celery leaves — 1 ounce
• Sugar, granulated — 6 ounces (¼ mess kit cup)
• Pepper — as needed
• Butter — ½ pound (⅓ mess kit cup)
• Cheese, shredded — 4 pounds (4 No. 56 dippers)

Directions

1. Break macaroni into 2- to 3-inch pieces.
2. Add macaroni slowly to boiling salted water; boil 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
3. Combine tomato puree, water, onions, celery leaves, sugar, and pepper. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Strain.
4. Add butter and cheese to hot tomato mixture; stir until cheese is melted.
5. Combine sauce and macaroni.
6. Place in baking pans. Bake in moderate oven (350° F.) 25 minutes.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Macaroni — 10¼ oz Salt — about 2 tsp Water, boiling — 2½ qt Tomato puree — 2 cups Water — 15⅓ tbsp Onions, chopped — 2½ oz Celery leaves — about ½ tsp Sugar, granulated — ½ oz Pepper — to taste Butter — ⅔ oz Cheese, shredded — 5 oz

Noodles or spaghetti may be substituted for the macaroni.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 213, Macaroni, Spaghetti, Noodles and Rice. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.