WORLD'S BEST MAC AND CHEESE

WORLD'S BEST MAC AND CHEESE image

Categories Potato

Number Of Ingredients 17

ﾠ24 oz Cellentani (Barilla)
4 T. butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
4 T. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 T. dry mustard
2 bay leaf
2 sprig fresh thyme
1 C. milk
4 C. half-and-half
1 1/2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
4 C. grated French Gruyere cheese
2 C. grated Swiss Fontina cheese
1 C. grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Crispy Topping (recipe follows)
4 T. butter, room temperature, for greasing dish

Steps:

Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain and let cool. To make sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 20 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, 1 to 2 minutes; do not brown. Add mustard, bay leaf and thyme and whisk in milk and half-and-half. Bring up to a boil while whisking, add Worcestershire and hot pepper sauce and simmer slowly about 20 minutes. Strain through a medium strainer, add the cheeses and mix until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Prepare crispy topping. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish (for half this recipe). Drain pasta and put bck in pot, add sauce and mix gently, let sit 15 minutes to get into pasta. Then place mix in baking dish and top with crispy topping. Bake in preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately. Makes a boatload. Crispy Topping: 3 C. coarse bread crumbs 1/2 C. (1/2 stick) melted butter 1 C. chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste In skillet, sauté bread crumbs lightly in melted butter until lightly browned. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper. NOTE: This can be prepared ahead of time.