This Macaroni and Cheese is cheesy, creamy, and divine. By making a white sauce into which you melt the cheese before tossing with the pasta and baking, the entire dish is smooth and creamy - never grainy or stringy. The better, more flavorful the cheese is that you use, the more delicious the finished Macaroni and Cheese will be. I like to use a combination of sharp cheddar, Gruyere, and a little Parmesan or pecorino.
This recipe can be halved and baked in a 1 1/-2 to 2-quart casserole, but since the baked Macaroni and Cheese freezes beautifully, why not make the whole batch and freeze some portions for later?
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni or other small tube-shaped pasta
- 5 cups milk
- 1/2 cup cream (or increase milk to 5 1/2 cups)
- 7 Tbsp. butter
- About 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (from 8 oz. bread or about 6 slices)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 cups shredded cheese (20 - 22 oz. total)
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 375. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Gently warm milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat or for about a minute in the microwave.
- In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter. While butter melts put bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Pour out 2 Tbsp. of the butter and toss with the bread crumbs. Set aside. When remaining butter stops foaming, whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until you get a slight cooked pie crust smell, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in salt, mustard if you like, nutmeg, pepper, and cayenne.
- Add cheese, one handful at a time, whisking or stirring between additions so you have a smooth sauce before adding more cheese. When all the cheese is melted into the sauce, remove from the heat. Add more salt, nutmeg, pepper, or cayenne to taste.
- Add pasta and toss to thoroughly coat the noodles with the sauce. Pour macaroni into a 9-by-13 baking pan. Cover with bread crumbs and bake until bubbling and golden on top, about 20 minutes.
Makes 12 servings Maracroni and Cheese.
