Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn or diced 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) or substitute Pecorino Romano
1 pound elbow macaroni (or other small pasta shape)
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Directions: |
Directions:Heat oven to 375º . Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside.
1. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter (alternately, melt butter in the microwave). Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set buttery bread cubes aside.
2. Pull out 1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar, and 1/2 cup Gruyere (or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano), and reserve for later use.
3. Fill a large pot 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 (must do this or it will get overdone), and drain well. Set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. In the same pot you used for boiling the pasta, melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.
While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
5. 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). Stir reserved macaroni into the cheese sauce.
6. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere (or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano), then buttery bread cubes over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes.
7. If after 30 minutes, it's not browned to your liking, broil the topping rather than leaving it in the oven, which may cause the pasta to overcook and sauce to dry out. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: So, dear family, this is one of those "follow the recipe exactly" recipes, not because it won't turn out; it is mac and cheese after all, but because it is SO PERFECT exactly the way it is written. Buy the good cheese (Gruyere and sharp cheddar), you won't be sorry. AND... make it the way Martha says.. just once.
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This recipe for Martha Stewart's Perfect Baked Macaroni & Cheese is from