Why it works: Parmesan cheese and butter are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,163 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
Croquettes of Macaroni
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the macaroni
Boil one-quarter pound macaroni in salted water until very tender.
Drain and toss the macaroni in a saucepan with one heaped tablespoon of butter, one-half ounce Parmesan cheese, and one-quarter ounce cooked tongue cut into fine dice.
Spread the mixture on a well-buttered platter, about one inch thick.
Cover with a buttered paper, press it well down, and set aside to cool.
Divide the cooled mixture with the back of a knife into six parts.
Coat and fry
Roll each part in grated cheese, then in beaten egg, and finally in breadcrumbs.
Fry the croquettes in very hot fat until well browned.
Drain and serve on a folded napkin.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 4 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Macaroni | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Parmesan cheese + buttertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,163 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Macaroni
- Forms the bulk of the croquette, giving it a firm, sliceable body once cooled.
- Butter
- Adds richness and moisture, helping the mixture bind and stay tender.
- Parmesan cheese
- Adds savory flavor and helps the mixture hold together.
- Cooked tongue
- Contributes meaty flavor and savory depth to the filling.
- Beaten egg (in the method)
- Forms a coating that binds the breadcrumbs and helps the croquettes brown.
The step that matters
Cool the mixture fully before dividing and coating. Cooling lets the starchy mixture set firm. If it is still warm, it stays soft and will slump or break apart when cut, rolled, and fried.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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