Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This is not your kiddie Kraft business?this is the real thing, rich and sharp and creamy. Use high-quality cheese for the best results.

8-10 oz macaroni elbow pasta
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups canned evaporated skim milk
2 � cups shredded cheese?I used about 1 cup Emmenthaler, � cup sharp cheddar, � cup parmesan, and � cup Jack. Use stronger-flavored cheeses. You can use all 1 type if you like.
Salt, pepper, paprika
1/3 cup bread crumbs
Additional butter for the pan and for dotting the top

Butter a 11x7" casserole dish. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the macaroni. Cook until nearly done (taste to tell?it should still have a tiny amount too much bite to it). Drain.

While the water is coming to the boil and the pasta is cooking, prepare your sauce: Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium to medium-low heat. When melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine well. Cook this mixture (a "roux") for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until well-browned and nutty-smelling. Whisk in � cup of the milk rapidly (it'll bubble up real fast initially) until well-combined with the roux, and then gradually whisk in the rest of the milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until thickened. I cooked mine about 8-10 minutes.

Lower the heat under the white sauce to low, and start whisking in handfuls of shredded cheese until they melt and incorporate into the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika once all the cheese is incorporated.

Combine the cheese sauce and the drained pasta and pour into the prepared casserole dish. Cover with the bread crumbs and dot the crumbs with butter. Bake until the entire casserole is bubbly, 35-45 minutes. Serve with peas or green beans.

home   about me   pictures   commitment   journal-n-writings   Malachite Cafe   link-o-rama   email