We’ve all had our share of macaroni and cheese over the years, from mother’s own to school caféteria to the frozen, dried, or canned versions. But lately we haven’t had this classic often enough.
The trick to a terrific macaroni and cheese is the cheese. Most often Cheddar is used, but we’ve updated our version with a nutty Gruyère. If you’re looking to give the dish added richness, replace some of the milk with an equal amount of evaporated milk.
Macaroni and Cheese
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound penne
- 4 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (4 cups)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and cook at a rolling boil until just tender. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again and set aside in a large bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bring the milk just to a boil in a heavy saucepan and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in another heavy saucepan. Add the flour, and whisk over low heat for 5 minutes. Do not brown. Remove from the heat.
Add the hot milk to the flour mixture, and whisk well. Add ½ teaspoon of the paprika, season with salt and pepper, and return the pan to the heat. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 5 minutes. Add to the penne, and toss well to coat the penne completely.
Butter a 13 × 9 × 2-inch flameproof baking dish, and fill it evenly with the penne and sauce.
Distribute the grated cheese evenly over the penne, and sprinkle with black pepper and additional paprika.
Place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until hot, 20 to 25 minutes.
Place the dish under the broiler, 4 inches from the heat, until the top is slightly golden and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
Other good melting cheeses may be substituted for Gruyère, such as Cheddar, mozzarella, or Jarlsberg. Or combine two of these cheeses. If you wish, add fresh shavings of Parmesan to the top of the casserole before you run it under the broiler.
Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso’s The New Basics Cookbook (Workman, 1989)
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