Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x13-inch baking dish
• •Large heavy-bottomed saucepan (4-quart minimum)
• •Box grater or food processor with grating disc
• •Large pot for boiling pasta
• •Flat-bottomed wooden spoon or sturdy whisk

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your mise en place

   Set oven to 375°F and position a rack in the center. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish generously. Grate all your cheeses before you start cooking. Once the sauce comes together, you won't have time to fumble with a grater. The cheddar should be sharp, the kind that makes your tongue tingle. Mild cheddar produces mild results.

   Block cheese melts smoother than pre-shredded, which contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy.
2. 2

   Cook the pasta

   Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it until it tastes like the sea. Add the elbow macaroni and cook for two minutes less than the package directs. You want the pasta slightly firm at the center because it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain well but don't rinse. A little starch helps the sauce cling. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

3. 3

   Build the roux

   Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When the foaming subsides, add the flour all at once and whisk constantly for two minutes. The mixture will bubble and smell faintly of baking biscuits. This cooking eliminates the raw flour taste that ruins lesser cheese sauces. The roux should turn pale golden, like wet sand.

   A flat-bottomed wooden spoon reaches corners better than a whisk for this step, preventing flour pockets from hiding.
4. 4

   Create the béchamel

   Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking steadily. The sauce will seize and thicken immediately, then thin as you add more liquid. This is normal. Keep whisking. Once all the milk is incorporated, add the mustard powder, cayenne, and nutmeg. Increase heat slightly and continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about five minutes. When you drag your finger through the coating, it should leave a clear trail that holds.

5. 5

   Add the cheese

   Remove the pan from heat. This is critical. Adding cheese to boiling sauce causes it to break, leaving you with an oily, grainy mess. Add the cheddar and Gruyère in three additions, stirring until each batch melts completely before adding the next. The sauce will become glossy and smooth, coating your spoon thickly. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it. The sauce should be assertively cheesy with a pleasant warmth at the back of your throat from the cayenne.

6. 6

   Combine pasta and sauce

   Pour the cheese sauce over the drained macaroni and fold gently until every piece of pasta is coated. The sauce should seem almost too abundant. It will absorb into the pasta as it bakes. Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Don't pack it down. Air pockets help the sauce penetrate.

7. 7

   Prepare the topping

   In a small bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter and Parmesan until evenly coated. The crumbs should look like damp sand. Scatter this mixture over the top of the macaroni, covering the surface completely. This layer will become your crust, so don't be stingy.

8. 8

   Bake until golden

   Place the baking dish on a sheet pan to catch any bubbling overflow. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and the edges are bubbling. The smell will fill your kitchen, drawing people to the doorway. Remove from the oven and let rest for ten minutes before serving. This rest allows the sauce to set slightly, making serving easier and preventing burned tongues.

   For an even crunchier top, broil for the final two minutes. Watch carefully. Breadcrumbs go from golden to charred in seconds.

Chef Tips

• •Buy a block of good sharp cheddar from the cheese counter, not the pre-shredded bags. The difference in melt and flavor is considerable. Vermont and Wisconsin produce excellent domestic options; English or Irish aged cheddars work beautifully for special occasions.
• •Warming the milk before adding it to the roux prevents lumps and speeds the sauce. Thirty seconds in the microwave or a few minutes in a saucepan does the job.
• •This dish reheats magnificently. Add a splash of milk before covering with foil and warming in a 325°F oven for twenty minutes. The sauce loosens, the top re-crisps, and somehow it tastes even better the second day.
• •For a Southern variation, stir in a cup of diced ham or crumbled bacon with the pasta. New England cooks might add a layer of sliced tomatoes under the breadcrumb topping. Both traditions have merit.

Advance Preparation

• •The cheese sauce can be made up to two days ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of milk to loosen before combining with freshly cooked pasta.
• •The fully assembled casserole, unbaked, can be refrigerated overnight. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Add fifteen minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
• •Baked macaroni and cheese keeps refrigerated for up to four days. Individual portions reheat well in a 350°F oven for fifteen minutes or in the microwave with a damp paper towel laid over the top.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 280g)