Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 lb shell pasta
1/4 cup butter (must be butter, oil will not work)
1/4 cup flour
3 1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp mustard (Dijon or yellow)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Topping:
1/2 cup bread crumbs (mushed up ritz, croutons, saltines or club crackers work)
3 Tbsp cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Boil the pasta according to the package instructions.
2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook until slightly brown and smells of nuts. (Yes, you heard me correctly!)
3. Add the milk a whisk until there are no lumps. Allow to heat but DO NOT BOIL. The sauce will thicken, but only after you become convinced it will never thicken. It needs to reach about 190ºF.
4. Remove from heat and add the Worcestershire, mustard, cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce.
5. It is ready to eat but if you're feeling fancy, combine all the topping ingredients into a bowl and mix together with a pastry blender or your hands. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese.
6. Bake at 400ºF for about 15 minutes or until all bubbly around the edges. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: This is the base for "Mac and Cheese and Peas" (Mix peas into the mac and cheese before putting the topping on), and Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. Learning how to properly make a roux (the flour butter concoction) and making a cream based sauce is really helpful in making a lot of recipes. Just remember: don't boil the milk. If you boil the milk it's never going to thicken, just throw it away and try again.
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This recipe for Gramie's Mac and Cheese is from