Mac & Cheese
This is originally a Martha Stewart recipe but with some modifications.
Ingredients
- 5 cups milk
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 7/16 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 16 oz grated sharp white cheddar
- 8 oz grated Gruyère or Asiago or Pecorino Romano
- 1.25 lb ditalini
Procedure
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Melt the butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat.
- When the butter starts to bubble, add the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep the mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick (8 to 12 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and about 3/4 of each grated cheese. Set this sauce aside.
- Undercook the ditalini (just 5 or 6 minutes). Transfer to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.
- Stir the ditalini into the cheese sauce.
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake until golden brown on top (about 35 minutes).