MAC'N'CHEESE

Mac'n'Cheese image

Make and share this Mac'n'Cheese recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Exceptional Comesti

Time 1h10m

Yield 1 9x9 baking dish worth, 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1/2 lb elbow macaroni
12 ounces cheese
3 cups milk
1/4 butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 egg
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika, i prefer smoked
1/2 teaspoon salt (a heavy pinch)
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup panko breadcrumbs, you could also use crushed croutons
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Steps:

Before you start to make your sauce bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your macaroni until its almost al dente.
Start out by adding your ¼ cup of butter to a wide stainless steel saucepan, saucier, or large sauté over medium heat.
Once the butter is melted add your garlic onion and salt (or whatever aromatics you're using) and cook until soft and the garlic is just getting brown around the edges.
After that add the flour and while whisking furiously turn the heat to medium-low.
Cook while whisking until the roux takes on a blondish color then add your spices, in this case black pepper and smoked paprika.
Add the milk whisking constantly then boost the heat to medium and cook whisking frequently until the mix comes to a simmer and the sauce thickens.
Once the sauce has thickened beat the egg in a separate bowl and slowly, while whisking, add some of the sauce a little at a time until the egg is "tempered".
Then add the cheese a little at a time until well incorporated.
Poor all the sauce and macaroni into a casserole dish and fold together so the sauce is evenly distributed.
Mix the melted butter bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
Spread more cheese over the top of the casserole and then the bread crumb topping.
Park in a 375 degree oven for anywhere from 30mins to 45mins or until the cheese is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and enjoy.
Tips: You could use more macaroni for a less saucy dish, and less macaroni for a saucier dish. If you want more cheese in your sauce go for it, it's completely up to you, I just wouldn't go above 24 ounces. The flavorings you put in are also completely up to you I'm making the classic mac and cheese, but you could add bacon, mushrooms, anything really.