Classic Baked Mac n Cheese. This makes a BIG batch so it’s perfect for sharing with a neighbor or freezing half for later. My fav pasta shape for this is cavatappi, a curly tube, but you can use classic elbows, shells or whatever else you like. Cook it extra al dente because it will get softer as it bakes in the oven.
Because all the cheese can be expensive, I’ve experimented with making this into a double batch by ONLY doubling the pasta amount (to two pounds) and it works really well. If you make the recipe with one pound you’ll have an extremely cheesey casserole. If you double the pasta, you’ll still have a very cheesy casserole, it just won’t be quite so intense. I like it both ways and maybe prefer the doubles version a tiny bit more because it doesn’t feel quite so rich - I like a few bites of rich food, but if I’m eating a whole plate of something, I tend to like it on the lighter side simply because I feel better afterwards. That being said, you could take it further and half the entire recipe for one pound of pasta.
I like to bake it in this ceramic lasagna pan from World Market because it goes from the oven right to the table.
Classic Baked Mac n Cheese
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 clove grated garlic
4 cups whole milk
16 oz sharp cheddar, grated* (see important cheese notes below!)
8 oz Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Colby, Fontina, Gruyere, or more cheddar, grated*
1 or two lbs cooked pasta, very al dente (elbows, cavatappi, shells, etc.)
1 cup panko
3 Tbs melted butter
Method:
Heat oven to 400F.
In a medium sized sauce pan, melt butter. Whisk in flour to make a roux and cook over medium low heat a few minutes until golden, whisking constantly. Add the grated garlic and whisk it in.
Pour in milk while whisking. It may seize and clump a little bit if you keep whisking in will smooth out.
Bring to a low simmer and cook for a few minutes until it starts to thicken and coat the back of a spoon.
Add shredded cheese and stir or whisk until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Add al dente pasta and stir to combine.
Pour into buttered 9”x13”x2” dish. A 10”x14”x3” dish will work for a double recipe.
To make topping, combine Panko and melted butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the mac n cheese.
Place dish on a sheet pan to catch any drips and bake, uncovered, at 400 for about 30-40 minutes until bubbling and bread crumbs are golden. If it’s not getting enough color, increase heat to 425.
Let cool slightly before serving.
*pre shredded cheese sometimes contains cellulose (wood pulp) to prevent clumping. It can make cheese weird when it melts although sometimes it works great. I have used the Whole Foods 365 brand of pre grated sharp cheddar and the Italian Blend, which both work great. Just make sure you use at least 16 oz cheddar for optimal melting consistency. If you want to be extra safe, grate your own cheese. Block cheddar is usually much better quality than shredded anyway.
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