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Thanksgiving: Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Source of Recipe

From "Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Holiday Entertaining"


Recipe Introduction

"A Southern holiday staple, our cheesy, velvety, bubbling baked macaroni and cheese pairs with all of our favorite holiday dishes. To turn out a perfectly cooked casserole void of dry pasta or curdled sauce, we cooked the pasta until just past al dente and then combined it with a lush béchamel-based cheese sauce, turning to garlic, dry mustard, and cayenne for complexity and chicken broth for deeply savory flavor. For maximum cheesiness and a creamy texture, we used both sharp cheddar and Colby cheeses. As soon as the pasta and sauce had heated through on the stovetop we transferred the macaroni to a baking dish, sprinkled the surface with toasty Parmesan bread crumbs, and baked it long enough to heat through and build some appealing browning. Although the classic pasta shape for this dish is elbow macaroni, any small, curvaceous pasta will work. It's crucial to cook the pasta until tender—that is, just past the al dente stage. Whole, low-fat, and skim milk all work well in this recipe. The recipe may be halved and baked in an 8-inch square, broiler-safe baking dish. If desired, offer celery salt or hot sauce for sprinkling at the table."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 6 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
â—¦ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and chilled, plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 pound elbow macaroni
â—¦ Salt and pepper
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon dry mustard
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
â—¦ 3 ½ cups whole milk
â—¦ 1 pound Colby cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
â—¦ 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Pulse bread and chilled butter in food processor until coarsely ground, 10 to 15 pulses; set aside.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave it in the colander; set aside.

Melt remaining butter in now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, mustard, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until large bubbles form on surface and mixture is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Off heat, gradually whisk in cheeses until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir drained pasta into cheese sauce, breaking up any clumps, until well combined. Pour into 13 by 9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake macaroni until sauce is bubbling and crumbs are crisp, 25 to 35 minutes.

Serves 10 to 12,
or 6 to 8 as a main



• To make ahead:
Do not heat oven in step 1. Following sprinkling of bread crumbs in step 4, wrap macaroni tightly with plastic wrap and then foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. (If frozen, allow to thaw completely in refrigerator for 24 hours.) To reheat, unwrap dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until filling is hot throughout, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until crumbs are crisp, 15 to 20 minutes longer.