[title subtitle=”RECIPE adapted adapted Mom on Timeout
IMAGE Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock”][/title]
INGREDIENTS
16 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 cups white cheddar cheese (block)
2 cups Gruyere cheese (block)
salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. ground mustard
1 ½ cups panko crumbs
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
½ cup Parmesan cheese (block)
¼ tsp. paprika
METHOD
TIP: Don’t buy shredded cheese in a bag, it won’t melt very well. Buy it in a block and grate it yourself.
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease large, 3-4 qt. baking dish. In large bowl, shred and combine cheeses. Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than al dente (it will continue to cook in oven), drain. Drizzle olive oil over pasta, stir to coat, cool. In large pot over medium heat, melt butter then whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook until bubbly and lightly brown, 1-2 minutes. Slowly add in cold milk and heavy cream, stir until smooth. Whisk until bubbles form on surface, whisk and cook 2 more minutes. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and ground mustard, stir. Add two cups of shredded cheese mixture, whisk until smooth. Add two more cups of cheese, whisk, sauce will be thick. Add in cooked pasta, stir to coat. Pour half of the mixture into baking dish.
Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese mixture over top, add remaining pasta/cheese. In small bowl, combine Panko crumbs, paprika, Parmesan cheese and melted butter. Distribute mixture over top of the pasta/cheese, bake until slightly brown and bubbly (20-25 minutes). Serve hot.
