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Macaroni and Cheese

This dish is, of course, all – or mostly – about the cheese. A good cheddar is wonderful, but it’s nice to mix up a sharp cheese with another that’s nutty and slightly creamy, such as Jarlsberg, Comté or Gruyère, in whatever proportion you like. I cook the sauce in the same pan that I made the pasta in to save on clean up. I seasoned this with dry mustard powder and thyme. The mustard gives a bit of depth to the sauce and the fresh thyme adds a pleasant herbal note in the background. But you can omit them if you’d like.

For the pasta and cheese sauce

  • 3/4 pound (340g) uncooked pasta
  • 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons (60g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups (1L) whole milk, warm
  • 1 pound (450g, about 6 cups) grated cheese
  • 1/2 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1-2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper powder

For the topping

  • 1 1/2 cups (190g) breadcrumbs
  • 4 tablespoons (60g) melted butter, salted or unsalted
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • Butter a wide 2 1/2 to 3-quart (3l) baking dish.
  • Cook the pasta in a large pot of lightly salted water until tender, and drain well. When cool, spread the pasta in the baking dish.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC.)
  • Wipe the pasta pot dry and melt the 5 tablespoons (70g) butter in it over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Dribble in some of the warm milk, stirring continuously; you can use a whisk, which will help break up lumps, or use a spatula, stirring briskly.
  • Continue to add the milk, a small amount at a time while stirring, until all the milk is added. Cook the milk until it comes to a low boil, stirring constantly, then cook the mixture for 3 minutes, until it thickens.
  • Remove from heat and stir the grated cheese, Parmesan, mustard, thyme, and cayenne. (Depending on the cheese, you may wish to season the mixture with a bit of salt.) Pour the mixture over the pasta in the baking dish and stir it to combine. When finished, make sure it’s in an even layer in the dish.
  • Make the topping by mixing together the breadcrumbs, melted butter, and parsley, then strew the crumbs over the top.
  • Bake the macaroni and cheese for 25 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned.