mac-cheese

Kitchen.Bath.Outdoor.Joy.

EPIC MAC & CHEESE

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 loaf stale, good quality french bread, torn into pieces
  • 3 tbsp butter, cut into 6 pieces (cold)
  • 1 lb. penne pasta and/or noodle you prefer
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 6 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 5 cups whole, 2%, or fat free milk (depending on creaminess desired)
  • 2 cups monterey jack (or gruyere) cheese, shredded with a box grater
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar (or favorite) cheese, shredded with a box grater
  • 1 tsp table salt

Bread Crumb Directions:

  1. Place bread/butter in food processor; pulse until crumbs are 1/8 inch.

Pasta and Cheese Directions:

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler.
  2. Bring 4 qts water to boil in Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over high heat
  3. Add pasta and 1 tbsp sea salt; cook until pasta is tender; drain and set aside in colander.
  4. In now empty Dutch oven or stock pot, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming.
  5. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne; whisk well to combine.
  6. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, ~ 1 min.
  7. Slowly whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil; whisk constantly (must reach full boil to thicken).
  8. Reduce heat to med.; whisk occasionally until it reaches consistency of heavy cream (~ 5 mins.).
  9. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 tsp salt until cheeses are fully melted.
  10. Add pasta*; cook over med.-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is steaming (~6 mins.)
  11. Transfer mixture to a broiler-safe 9″ x 13″ baking dish; sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs.
  12. Broil until crumbs are golden brown (3-5 mins.).
  13. Cool ~ 5 mins., then serve.

*For extra kick, add sautéed wild mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes, or roasted chilies.