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1
To make the macaroni and cheese, cook macaroni to al dente. Drain and set aside.
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2
Grease a 9- x 13-inch cake pan and set aside.
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3
In the same pasta pot, heat the cream and cheese over medium-low heat, stirring until creamy and smooth. Remove from heat.
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4
Add cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce. Mix very well.
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5
Spread macaroni and cheese into the greased pan, smoothing with a spatula. Freeze until firm for about 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight.
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6
Cut macaroni in the pan into about 20 squares. A bench scraper works well. Just eyeball your lines (or use a ruler) and press directly downwards with the bench scraper.
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7
To dredge and fry the macaroni, heat 1/2-inch vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
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8
In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper.
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9
In another shallow bowl, whisk the buttermilk, Tabasco, and egg.
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10
Using a skinny and bendy metal spatula to remove a few macaroni squares from the pan at a time. Keep unused squares chilled. Dredge each square of macaroni in the flour mixture, then egg mixture, then flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
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11
Fry macaroni squares until golden, then flip and fry other side until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel-lined cooling rack set over a sheet pan.
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12
Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt if you've got it, or kosher salt is just fine, too. Serve hot with a spicy marinara or gravy, or just plain ol' ketchup.
