Baked Mac and Cheese

Name: Baked Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb macaroni or other pasta (I used medium shells pasta) - please see note; ½ cup flour; 1 stick butter (8 TBSP); 5 ½ cups milk; 4 ½ cups sharp white cheddar cheese, grated; 2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated; ¼ tsp nutmeg; ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, optional; ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tsp kosher salt (half as much if using fine table salt); 6 slices white bread, toasted, crusts removed, cubed into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces

Written by Ellen Published on April 11, 2019 in

DifficultyBeginner

Yields4 Servings

Prep Time15 minsCook Time40 minsTotal Time55 mins

1 lb macaroni or other pasta (I used medium shells pasta) - please see note

½ cup flour

1 stick butter (8 TBSP)

5 ½ cups milk

4 ½ cups sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cayenne pepper, optional

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp kosher salt (half as much if using fine table salt)

6 slices white bread, toasted, crusts removed, cubed into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 375. Place the racks to the upper third of the oven. Butter 9x13 casserole dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni 2-3 minutes less than package instructions. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain macaroni well. Warm milk, but do not let it boil, set aside. Place 3 cups cheddar cheese and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese in a large bowl. Put a fine mesh sieve over the bowl. Once we make our bechamel sauce, we will strain it into the cheese mixture.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour over bread and toss. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat in a sauce pan. When the butter starts to foam and bubble, add flour, whisking consistently - you are making a roux. Cook it for about 1 minute to cook off the raw taste, stirring constantly; do not let your roux get dark!

This next step is the most important and will make or break your mac and cheese...

Add a little bit of milk in a steady stream. If you add too much too quick, your sauce may separate and not be able to be saved. Your sauce must get very thick; as it gets thick - your job is to work out all of the lumps and dissolve all of the flour pockets into thick but very smooth sauce. At that point, at a bit more milk, whisking constantly. After all of the lumps are gone, continue adding the rest of milk in a steady stream while whisking; after you have added all the milk, your sauce will thin out.

Allow the sauce to simmer, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. You now made béchamel sauce!

Remove from heat and strain into the bowl with cheese. Add nutmeg, cayenne (if using,) salt and pepper to taste and stir. Add your macaroni and ensure the mixture is well combined. Pour it into the prepared dish. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is browned. If not browned and crisp enough, broil for a couple of minutes watching closely not to burn with the oven door open. Enjoy!