Easy Recipe Finder
Recipe Feeder
This is arguably the best Mac & Cheese on the planet.
Serves 8 as a main course, 12 to 14 as a side dish.
Active time 30 min. Start to finish 1 hr.
We suggest splitting the recipe into 2 three quart baking dishes, doubling the
topping recipe and dividing it between the two.
The Topping:
1/4 stick butter (2 tablespoons) melted
2 cups Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1 cup ( 4 oz.)coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar
For Cheese Sauce and Macaroni:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 3/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 cups coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar ( about 1 pound)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 freshly ground pure black pepper
3/4 lb. elbow macaroni
Method:
Put a rack middle of oven to 400F. Butter a 3 quart baking dish.
Make the Topping - Mix butter, Panko crumbs, and cheese until well combinded.
Make the Sauce - Melt butter in a five quart heavy pot over moderately low
heat. Mix in flour and red pepper flakes, Whisking for three minutes to make a
Roux. Whisk in milk in a slow stream, then bring sauce to a boil, whisking
constantly. Simmer for about three minutes whisking occasionally.
Stir in cream, cheddar, mustard,salt and pepper.
Remove pot from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper to prevent a
skin from forming.
Cook the Macaroni and Assemble the Dish:
Cook the macaroni in a 6 quart pot of boiling salted water ( 1 tablespoon of
salt for every 4 quarts of water) until al'dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta
cooking water and drain macaroni.
Stir together macaroni, reserved pasta cooking water and sauce together in a
large bowl, and then transfer to baking dish ( mixture will be loose).
Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni. bake until top is golden and bubbling
(25 to 35 minutes).
Serve
Note: Topping can be made up to one day ahead, refrigerate covered.
Serves 8 as a main course, 12 to 14 as a side dish.
Active time 30 min. Start to finish 1 hr.
We suggest splitting the recipe into 2 three quart baking dishes, doubling the
topping recipe and dividing it between the two.
The Topping:
1/4 stick butter (2 tablespoons) melted
2 cups Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1 cup ( 4 oz.)coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar
For Cheese Sauce and Macaroni:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 3/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 cups coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar ( about 1 pound)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 freshly ground pure black pepper
3/4 lb. elbow macaroni
Method:
Put a rack middle of oven to 400F. Butter a 3 quart baking dish.
Make the Topping - Mix butter, Panko crumbs, and cheese until well combinded.
Make the Sauce - Melt butter in a five quart heavy pot over moderately low
heat. Mix in flour and red pepper flakes, Whisking for three minutes to make a
Roux. Whisk in milk in a slow stream, then bring sauce to a boil, whisking
constantly. Simmer for about three minutes whisking occasionally.
Stir in cream, cheddar, mustard,salt and pepper.
Remove pot from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper to prevent a
skin from forming.
Cook the Macaroni and Assemble the Dish:
Cook the macaroni in a 6 quart pot of boiling salted water ( 1 tablespoon of
salt for every 4 quarts of water) until al'dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta
cooking water and drain macaroni.
Stir together macaroni, reserved pasta cooking water and sauce together in a
large bowl, and then transfer to baking dish ( mixture will be loose).
Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni. bake until top is golden and bubbling
(25 to 35 minutes).
Serve
Note: Topping can be made up to one day ahead, refrigerate covered.
