I had the pleasure of enjoying a meal at Carmi’s South Side location before they closed the restaurant to instead focus on their to-go and catering location on the North Side. City Paper reviewed some of their takeout dishes in a 2020 Takeout Review, singing their praises for a flavorful, warm, comforting meal during such a rough season. Carmi was also the Best of PGH 2023 winner for Best Soul Food in Pittsburgh, a title which they’ve claimed more than once.
With Labor Day right around the corner, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to put together a big ol’ portion of mac and cheese. And when I say big, I mean BIG. The book doesn’t say how many servings are in this massive mac recipe, but my guess is 20 (unless you have teenage boys, in which case it’s about four.) I need to start by talking about the end product, which was so thick, cheesy, and divine that it should be illegal. My nine-year-old (who fancies herself a food critic) said it was the best mac and cheese she had in her whole life. It set like a casserole with nice crispy edges and was sturdy yet bubbly, and flavorful.
This recipe is simple to make and takes about an hour from start to finish. You’ll need a 13-by-9 glass or ceramic casserole dish (or a disposable casserole pan), a large pot, a food processor or large cheese grater, and a huge mixing bowl to make this dish. I busted out my extra large mixing bowl from IKEA, and it wasn’t big enough.
![Yinzer Yums of Yesteryear: Carmi's famous mac and cheese](https://media1.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/imager/u/blog/26556576/img_4395.jpg?cb=1724382749)
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 lb. Colby jack cheese
- 1 lb. mozzarella cheese
- 1 lb. Velveeta
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter
- 3 lightly beaten eggs
- 1 (12 oz.) can of evaporated milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
So while a recipe from 2013 isn’t exactly vintage (can we call it throwback?), it’s still a Yinzer Yum of Yesteryear, so I stand by it. Plus, you don’t even have to cook this mac and cheese if you don’t feel like cooking, you can have the dish catered to your next party or pick it up at the North Side Carmi location. I’ll bet they’ve even made improvements to this recipe over the years (not that they need to make improvements at all, but I hear they make a lobster and shrimp version that slaps). Either way, this mac and cheese is worth a taste!