Andy and I have been making a mac and cheese called “Mac and cheeese for growups” for years but yesterday we decided to try a new recipe and y’all this is the best mac and cheese I have EVER tasted. I mean EVER! I loved it so much I am packing the ingredients to make it for Thanksgiving break.
Here ya go. You’re welcome.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried macaroni cellentani, elbow, spiral, etc. I used Cellentani by Barilla
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup coarsely grated Swiss-style Gruyere cheese
- 1/4 cup finely grated dry Jack cheese can use Monterey Jack if you can’t find the dry Jack
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Grease a 1 1/2 quart souffle baking dish. Set aside.
- Boil large pot of water to cook macaroni according to package directions. But stop cooking about two minutes early. (Pasta should be slightly underdone.)
- Drain and rinse pasta with cold water and set aside.
- In large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Add fresh breadcrumbs and stir until thoroughly coated. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan or microwave, heat milk until very hot but not scalded.
- Meanwhile, in the pan you used for the bread crumbs, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When butter is bubbling, add flour and stir until cooked, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in hot milk, whisking continuously until all milk is incorporated and sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in salt, black pepper, cayenne, 1 1/2 cups of cheddar, 3/4 cup of Gruyere and all the dry Jack cheese.
- Mix well until all the cheese has melted.
- Add cooled macaroni to the cheese sauce and pour mixture into the buttered casserole dish.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Gruyere cheeses, then top with buttered bread crumbs.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and casserole is bubbling.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
Recipe easily doubles to cook in a 9 X 13″ baking dish.
