Macaroni and cheese (colloquially known as mac and cheese and known as macaroni cheese in the United Kingdom) is a pasta dish of macaroni covered in cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce. Its origins trace back to cheese and pasta casseroles in medieval England. The traditional macaroni and cheese is put in a casserole dish and baked in the oven; however, it may be prepared in a sauce pan on top of the stove, sometimes using a packaged mix such as became popular in the mid-20th century. The cheese is often included as a Mornay sauce added to the pasta. It has been described as "comfort food".
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Macaroni in the context of Food extrusion
Extrusion in food processing consists of forcing soft mixed ingredients through an opening in a perforated plate or die designed to produce the required shape. The extruded food is then cut to a specific size by blades. The machine which forces the mix through the die is an extruder, and the mix is known as the extrudate. The extruder is typically a large, rotating screw tightly fitting within a stationary barrel, at the end of which is the die. In some cases, "extrusion" is taken as synonymous with extrusion cooking, which cooks the food with heat as it is squeezed through the die.
Extrusion enables mass production of food via a continuous, efficient system that ensures uniformity of the final product. Products made through extrusion (without simultaneous cooking) include pasta, breads (croutons, bread sticks, and flat breads), pre-made cookie dough, and sausages. Products made through extrusion cooking include many breakfast cereals and ready-to-eat snacks, confectionery, some baby foods, full-fat soy flour, textured vegetable protein, some beverages, and dry and semi-moist pet foods. Food products manufactured using extrusion usually have a high starch content.