Welcome to the column to go to when you’re a broke, tired college student in a dorm. So today’s issue is going to be a little more experimental, as I’m doing this for dinner tonight. I’m doing what I’m going to call “Crab Mac.” Essentially, it’s a fusion of French, Mid-Atlantic, American-Italian, and American-Chinese. Why? Because I’m a heathen like that. This dish is essentially a manicotti with a cheese bechamel sauce, seasoned with old bay, stuffed with ricotta and imitation crab, sprinkled with cheddar, and topped with chives and sweet chili Thai sauce. Will update in my next article with a recreation of Mulligan’s Shepard’s Pie. But, if you’d like to try this out before hand, you’ll need:

15 oz Ricota
8 oz Imitation Crab
8 oz Mozzarella Block, shredded
½ c. Cheddar Cheese
1 c. Whole Milk
4 tbsp. Butter
2 tbsp Flour
2 Eggs
1 Package Manicotti
1 serving Boullion (I’m using spicy crab)
Old Bay Seasoning
Sweet Chili Thai Sauce
Crispy Onion Bits
Chives

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large pot, boil water with the Boullion in it. When it comes to a boil, cook pasta to package directions. Drain, and coat with 2 tbsp of butter.

A bowl of crab mac n’ cheese garnished with parsley sits on a dining table. (Contributed/Dinner at the Zoo).

In a separate bowl, shred the imitation grab and mix in the ricotta and two eggs.

In a second pot on low heat, make a roux out of the remaining butter and flour. Add milk and shredded mozzarella cheese periodically to make a cheese sauce and season with old bay.

Note: Pre-shredded cheese can also work, but note that it is caked in an anti-caking powder of some sort, which will make it more finicky to work with and mess with the texture.

Spray down a lasagna pan, and then pipe the ricotta-crab mixture into the cooked manicotti. Place the filled pasta in the lasagna pan accordingly, and then place your seasoned cheese sauce over the pasta. Top with cheddar cheese, sweet chili thai sauce, chives, and crispy onions.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, then broil for 5. Let set for 10 more minutes out of the oven, and serve.

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