Hurray for real mac and cheese. It’s crazy to eat the stuff from thebox when the real deal is so easy to make and so totally superior. Douse a cheese with some character, however, or the bland noodles willdominate.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter ina medium, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add theflour and whisk until smooth; cook 2 to 3 minutes, whiskingfrequently. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking vigorously. If thesauce gets lumpy, don't worry; just keep whisking until smooth.Lower the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, whiskingfrequently, until creamy and smooth. Add 1½ teaspoons salt,the mustard and nutmeg if using, and the black pepper.
Take the pan off the heat and add 2½ cups of the Cheddar andhalf the Parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese is meltedand the sauce is smooth. Taste and add more seasonings ifyou like. It should be salted well, as the sauce will flavor themacaroni.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water toa boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and boilthe macaroni according to the packagedirections. Drain well, return to the pot, thentoss with the sauce until thoroughly coated.Pile into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish or four6-inch cast-iron skillets. Sprinkle evenly withthe remaining Cheddar and Parmesan.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butterand toss with the bread crumbs; distributeover the macaroni. Bake until the topping isbrowned and the macaroni is hot, about 20minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes beforeserving.
Variations: While the classic is always welcome,try mixing things up on occasion by adding zippygreen chiles or briny tuna.
For a smoky greenchile version, add 1 drained 4-ounce can dicedmild green chiles before you put the macaroni inthe baking dish. Mix 1 teaspoon smoked paprikawith the crumbs and butter.
For the “tuna melt” version, substitute 1cup grated Havarti or Fontina cheese for 1 cupof the Cheddar when you make the sauce (you'llstill need a total of 3 cups cheese plus the ½cup Parmesan). Add 2 drained 5-ounce canstuna and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest to themacaroni before you put it in the baking dish.
By Sur La Table & Andrews McMeel Publishing
Serves
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unbleached allpurpose flour
2½ cups whole or 2% milk
Coarse salt
¼ teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
Procedure
Hurray for real mac and cheese. It’s crazy to eat the stuff from thebox when the real deal is so easy to make and so totally superior. Douse a cheese with some character, however, or the bland noodles willdominate.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter ina medium, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add theflour and whisk until smooth; cook 2 to 3 minutes, whiskingfrequently. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking vigorously. If thesauce gets lumpy, don't worry; just keep whisking until smooth.Lower the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, whiskingfrequently, until creamy and smooth. Add 1½ teaspoons salt,the mustard and nutmeg if using, and the black pepper.
Take the pan off the heat and add 2½ cups of the Cheddar andhalf the Parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese is meltedand the sauce is smooth. Taste and add more seasonings ifyou like. It should be salted well, as the sauce will flavor themacaroni.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water toa boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and boilthe macaroni according to the packagedirections. Drain well, return to the pot, thentoss with the sauce until thoroughly coated.Pile into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish or four6-inch cast-iron skillets. Sprinkle evenly withthe remaining Cheddar and Parmesan.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butterand toss with the bread crumbs; distributeover the macaroni. Bake until the topping isbrowned and the macaroni is hot, about 20minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes beforeserving.
Variations: While the classic is always welcome,try mixing things up on occasion by adding zippygreen chiles or briny tuna.
For a smoky greenchile version, add 1 drained 4-ounce can dicedmild green chiles before you put the macaroni inthe baking dish. Mix 1 teaspoon smoked paprikawith the crumbs and butter.
For the “tuna melt” version, substitute 1cup grated Havarti or Fontina cheese for 1 cupof the Cheddar when you make the sauce (you'llstill need a total of 3 cups cheese plus the ½cup Parmesan). Add 2 drained 5-ounce canstuna and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest to themacaroni before you put it in the baking dish.
What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.
Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese is a simplified recipe. Just boil pasta in milk and then, add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper to it. Merge all the elements and Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese will be ready in no time.
Bake the mac and cheese until the cheese is melted and beginning to bubble around the edges, about 20 minutes. Turn the broiler on high and broil the mac and cheese until the cheese begins to brown all over, about 5 minutes. Let the mac and cheese sit for 5 minutes for the sauce set and cool slightly.
Butter and flour: You'll need butter and flour to make a roux for the cheese sauce. You'll also need two tablespoons of butter for the topping. Milk: Use whole milk for the richest flavor and texture.
The Very Best Macaroni and Cheese: Alton Brown's Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Following Alton's recipe as it was written was frustrating: The instructions were bare and definitely not designed for newbies. But it was so creamy and flavorful and bubbly and cheesy that it edged out Ina in the final vote.
How do you make mac and cheese sauce smoother? For a smoother sauce, melt the cheese slowly over low heat and stir continuously. Ensure the roux is well-cooked and smooth before adding milk and cheese.
Cover mac and cheese while baking if you do not want it to brown on top. If you like a crunchy brown top, leave it uncovered or uncover for the last 15 minutes of baking to just brown the cheese and keep the noodles soft.
"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.
Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor.Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.
A roux is a thickening agent made of one part fat and one part flour that makes up the base of this creamy mac and cheese. To make the roux, start by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, salt, and pepper and stir until smooth. Slowly pour in milk and stir until the mixture is smooth and bubbling.
Throw in too much flour, and sure the sauce might get thick, but it also might taste floury and be lumpy. Even if you get the roux right, use too much or reduce your sauce down too far, and the macaroni and cheese will turn out dry.
Parmesan is the best Italian cheese for pasta along with mozzarella cheese the best melting cheese for pasta, ricotta cheese, pecorino romano cheese, gorgonzola cheese, asiago cheese, ricotta salata cheese, provolone cheese and grana padano cheese.
Macaroni and cheese (also known as mac and cheese in Canada and the United States and macaroni cheese in the United Kingdom) is a dish of macaroni and a cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce. Its origins trace back to cheese and pasta casseroles dating to the 14th century in Italy and medieval England.
Colby-Jack cheese is mainly produced in the states of Wisconsin and California. It is used in various dishes or as a topping to be melted. These dishes include burgers, pasta bakes, macaroni and cheese, casseroles and so on. It is predominantly used in the United States, and is not readily available internationally.
Similar to Monterey Jack, Colby cheese is a great option when it comes to making a creamy and somewhat sweet mac and cheese. Kids are Great Cooks says Colby cheese is on the sweeter side, though it is considered to be pretty mild in flavor overall.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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