Bob Hart's Souffleed Macaroni and Cheese

(Obtained, in 1951, by American cooking legend Clementine Paddleford from Edith Davison, managing caterer for the Des Moines Women's Club. The idea of combining "scalded" milk and bread crumbs as a substitute for white sauce is inspired.)

Recipe:

Bring 1.5 cups full-cream milk to a boil and pour over 1 cup soft bread crumbs and 1.5 cups grated, tasty cheddar (or use a different cheese - I use English farmhouse cheddar or Comte French gruyere) and let stand until cheese melts. Add 1 cup cooked macaroni (or penne, rigatoni or similar). Fold together, add the beaten yolks from 3 eggs, reserving whites. Add 1/4 cup chopped pimento (or roasted red capsicum), 1tbs chopped parsley, 1tbs grated onion, good pinch salt, 3tbs melted butter, combine well.

Beat (3) egg whites until stiff and fold into mixture. Pour into a buttered casserole or pyrex baking dish. Bake at 180C until puffed and golden - about 35 min.