Mac and Cheese

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. Most agree on a béchamel of flour, butter, and cheese

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That's not what a bechamel is (mornay is what you mean), but it's what you should do. Roux with butter, incorporate the milk, then cool down a little to add the cheese. I love using smoked Gouda.

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Most agree on a béchamel of flour, butter, and cheese although some use butternut squash.

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Many are using Sodium Citrate now actually.

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The beauty of mac & cheese is its versatility.

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The other beautiful thing about it is that even the cheap poverty mac and cheese you get in the frozen section of the grocery store still get the job done.

I still need to try that way.

I'm with Kalen. That's bullshite!

If you like a creamy mac, this recipe is easy to make and delicious.

Total Time:
50 min
Prep:
5 min
Inactive:
10 min
Cook:
35 min
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Yield:
Serves 8 to 10 servings
Level:
Easy
Ingredients
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 1/2 cups half and half
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
• 8 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 3 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions
Set an oven rack 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until it is al dente, about 6 minutes. Leave the pasta sitting in the water while you make your cheese sauce. Strain, reserving 1 3/4 cups of the pasta water. Set aside.
Heat the half-and-half and cayenne in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until the half-and-half is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar and Gruyere until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Add the macaroni and the reserved pasta water to the saucepan and stir to combine. (It will look very loose, but the pasta will suck up a lot of the sauce as it bakes.) Season to taste with salt if needed. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Toss the bread crumbs with the butter and a sprinkle of salt in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are lightly browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.

I usually make Alton Brown's recipe. It's good enough.


I'm going to try it with sodium nitrate for next week's batch though.

As long as the noodles aren't overcooked, I am good with most Mac and Cheeses.

Mac and Cheese with Béchamel

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish

6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces

5 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)

1 pound elbow macaroni


Directions
Step 1
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.
Step 2
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.
Step 3
While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
Step 4
Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.
Step 5
Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce
Step 6
Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.