Thursday, March 19, 2020

Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

16 oz elbow macaroni (or other tubular pasta)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 C all purpose flour
3 C whole milk
1 C heavy whipping cream
4 C sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 C Gruyere cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 C panko crumbs
4 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a large 3 or 4 qt baking dish and set aside. Combine shredded cheeses (cheddar and Gruyere) in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and place in a large bowl. Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat. Set aside to cool.
3. Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or stock pot. Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden.
4. Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes. Whisk in salt and pepper.
5. Add 2 C of the shredded cheese mixture and whisk until smooth. Add additional 2 C of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth. Sauce should be nice and thick.
6. Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce.
7. Pour half of the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 C of shredded cheese and then add the remainder of the pasta.
8. In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe from: www.momontimeout.com

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