Macaroni THE ACTUAL BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE
Choosing your own mix of cheeses is what can make this the perfect macaroni for you. A good combo might include a mild cheese (Monterey Jack, havarti, Edam, brick), a nutty one (along the Swiss-gruyère-comté axis), a sharp cheddar and maybe something extra melty-rich like fontina or the zippiness of Gorgonzola. Gouda is never a bad idea. Consider Camembert for additional velvety texture and an intensification of flavor.
Makes: About 8 servings
1 pound large elbow macaroni or penne 5 tablespoons butter, plus about 2 extra for the baking dish and melting
cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
About 4-5 ounces each of four cheeses of your choice, sliced or cubed (see above) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper About 2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated Breadcrumbs
Paprika (smoked or regular)
Few slices of white bread
Melted butter
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook your pasta according to the
directions on the package for al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water.
3. Butter the inside of a 9-by-13-inch rectangular baking dish.
4. Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, continuing to whisk, for 1 minute.
5. Slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time, then cook while continuing to whisk until thickened to the consistency of light cream.
6. Drop in your trove of cheese a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly, allowing them to melt some before adding more. When it’s all incorporated (it will get gooey), stir in the Dijon, then add about teaspoon of salt and lots of grindings of pepper. Stir, taste and add more Dijon/salt/pepper as you see fit, a little at a time while tasting again.
7. In a large bowl, combine the cheese sauce and pasta, stirring to get the sauce all up in the noodles. Then transfer the mixture to your buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs and a little paprika.
8. Cut selected initials, numerals or symbols out of slices of white bread with a sharp knife; alternately, you could use a cookiecutter. (The bread scraps are ideal for sponging the left-behind cheese sauce from your pan and bowl into your mouth.) Position bread designs on top of macaroni, then brush with melted butter.
9. Bake until the cheese is bubbling and the bread design/top is browned, 25 to 35 minutes.