Email to Cat      

Thanksgiving: Make-Ahead Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Source of Recipe

"The Complete Autumn and Winter Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"A well-made macaroni and cheese is often the first dish to disappear from a holiday table. And when it comes to cooking for a crowd, whether for a potluck or a home gathering, the option to complete most of the work ahead of time is a real boon. Our mac and cheese can be frozen as much as two months (yes, months!) in advance; a quick thaw in the microwave and a stint in the oven is all that's needed to get it ready for company. To keep the pasta from drying out in the freezer, we increased the ratio of sauce to pasta. As for that sauce, heavy cream was less prone to curdling than milk, and cutting the cream with broth made for a uniquely savory mac and cheese light enough to return to for seconds—if there's any left by then. To make the dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
â—¦ 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
â—¦ 1 pound elbow macaroni
â—¦ 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 teaspoon dry mustard
â—¦ â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ 4 ½ cups vegetable or chicken broth
â—¦ 1 ½ cups heavy cream
â—¦ 1 pound Colby cheese, shredded (4 cups)
â—¦ 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
â—¦ ½ teaspoon pepper


Recipe

Pulse bread, 2 tablespoons melted butter, Parmesan, and garlic in food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer crumbs to zipper-lock freezer bag and freeze.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and macaroni and cook until barely softened, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, then spread out on rimmed baking sheet and let cool.

Heat remaining 6 tablespoons butter, flour, mustard, and cayenne in empty pot over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in broth and cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Off heat, whisk in Colby, cheddar, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth.

Stir cooled pasta into sauce, breaking up any clumps, until well combined. Transfer pasta mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Let cool completely, about 2 hours. Wrap dish tightly with plastic wrap, cover with aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove foil from casserole and reserve. Microwave casserole until mixture is thawed and beginning to bubble around edges, 7 to 12 minutes, stirring pasta and replacing plastic halfway through cooking. Discard plastic and cover pan with reserved foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and sprinkle with frozen bread crumbs. Continue to bake until crumbs are golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.

Serves 8 to 10