It’s been too long since I tried a new mac and cheese recipe. The good news is that, in this very post, I’m going to share the best recipe I’ve ever tried. The bad news? That it could possibly be the last, since I don’t know if I’ll ever want to cook another version. The description in Bitten, NY Times’ food blog, calls this addictive, and they aren’t kidding - I was eating it straight out of the dish (even before I baked it).
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s recipe published on the NY Times blog, to adjust for smaller portions (and removing the original breadcrumb crust).
Ingredients (serves 6-8): 5 tablespoons butter, 4 cups whole milk, 4 tablespoons flour, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 3 cups grated sharp cheddar (about 14 ounces), 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyere or 1 cup grated parmesan (or, use a combination of both gruyere and parmesan), 3/4 pound dried pasta (elbow, penne or other small shape).
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 1 minute less than the al dente instructions on the package.
Drain and rinse under cold water so the pasta will not stick while you finish the sauce.
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.
Warm the milk (either in a pan next to the one you’re cooking the sauce in, and use a ladle to transfer the milk over, or just heat in the microwave in a large measuring cup).
Add a little bit to the butter-flour mixture and stir with a whisk. Continue to pour in the milk slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly, to keep the mixture smooth. After you’ve added all of the milk, bring it to a slow simmer, continuing to whisk while it thickens.
When the sauce starts to bubble, remove from the heat, and stir in about three quarters of the cheese (blend it all together in a large bowl first to make it easier to save equal amounts of the different cheeses for the topping).
Stir in the salt, cayenne, and ground pepper. Toss with the drained pasta until it is evenly coated, then spread the pasta into a large baking dish.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the dish.
Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees, or until bubbly and the cheese is starting to crisp in spots.
Tue, Sep 15, 2009
Pasta