Homemade (Sexy) Mac & Cheese
Recipe Date:
April 28, 2024
Serving Size:
8
Cook Time:
00:45:00
Difficulty:
Medium
Measurements:
Imperial (US)
Ingredients
- 16 ozs Orecchiette Pasta (or Elbow Macaroni
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 4 ea. Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 5 cups Milk
- 2 tsps Dry Mustard
- 2 tsps Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 20 ozs Cheese, Shredded (preferably 2-3 different types of cheese, Gruyere and White Cheddar is what Chef selected)
- 2 tbsps Fresh Parsley, Minced
- 2 cups Garlic Croutons, Crushed Finely
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350º degrees.
- Cook pasta according to the directions on the box for "al dente"; drain and set aside.
- In large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Slowly add flour and garlic while whisking to incoprorate. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until roux turns white and no longer smells like raw flour, about 2-3 minutes. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in milk until fully combined. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk in salt, pepper, and dry mustard.
- Working a handful at a time, add cheese to sauce mixture and continue to stir until cheese melts into the sauce. Repeat with the remaining cheese, one handful at a time, until all cheese is melted into the sauce. Remove sauce from heat.
- Slowly mix in the cooked pasta and parsley until it is fully coated with sauce. Spray a large baking dish with pan spray, then carefully pour pasta into the dish and smooth out the top with a spatula. Evenly distribute croutons over the top of pasta, place dish into the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until bubbling. Using oven mitts, remove pan from oven and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes prior to serving.