I’ve been making this macaroni and cheese dish for a few years now and it’s always a  favorite.  I got the recipe out of a magazine, can’t remember if it was a wine or food and wine magazine, but it caught my eye and I said, “I can make that” and have been ever since.  It’s great as main course or as a side and good for a big crowd.  You can serve it plain or add ham, bacon, lobster, etc. based on your preferences.  So here we go…

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• 6 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 Cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 Cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 Medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 Tsp. mustard powder
• 1/4 Tsp. Cayenne pepper
• 1/8 to  1/4 Tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 Cups whole milk
• 1 Cup heavy cream
• 2 Cups coarsely grated sharp, aged cheddar cheese, preferably orange, about 6 ounces
• 2 Cups coarsely grated Gruyere cheeses, about 6 ounces
• 2 Cups cubed cooked ham, bacon or lobster (Optional)
• Bring 3 to 4 quarts of water to boil in a pot.  Add 1 Tbs. salt and the macaroni.  Cook, stirring a few times, until just tender but still quite firm, about 4 minutes.  Drain. Don’t cook beyond the 4 minutes, the al dente pasta will absorb the cheese sauce during baking.  I usually make the entire box on pasta and I end up using about two cups of the Al dente pasta, you can vary this depending on how cheesy you want yours.
• Meanwhile, grease an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish (about 1 1/2 quarts) with 1 Tbs. of the butter and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Melt 2 Tbs. of the  butter in a heavy-bottomed saute pan or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the breadcrumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir well.  Spoon the mixture into a bowl and wipe out the pan.

  

  Toasted Panko and Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
• In the same pan, melt the remining 3 Tbs. of butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the flour and stir until the mixture starts to color slightly and smell a bit nutty, about 3 minutes more.  Add the mustard, cayenne and nutmeg.  Stir well to incorporate.

  

  Onions Cooked with Flour and Seasoning Added
• Gradually add the milk and cream.  Stir until it thickens enough to see streaks on the bottom of the pan.  Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar and all of the Gruyere.  If using ham, bacon or lobster, add at this time. Stir until the mixture has the consistency of cake batter.

  

• We added  cubed ham (2 Cups)to the cheese sauce to change it up a little.

  

• Add the reserved pasta, stir well, and pour into the baking dish.  Smooth to even and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar.  Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly on top.  Put the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Dig in!

At Dish To Remember, “We don’t eat to live, we live to eat!”

Serves 6