This is such a classic and, while many people start with a roux as a base, I like to warm cream and slowly add in cheese so there is nothing but pure cheese flavor. I find the flour from the roux dulls the other flavors and almost clashes with the floury nature of the macaroni itself. There are a few little bits of spice and added salt in this recipe. Worcestershire has anchovy in the base so if you want this dis to remain vegetarian, substitute soy sauce.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1-pound Elbow macaroni
1-quart heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3-3-1/2 cups finely grated Gruyère cheese
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
Splash of Tabasco
1 large clove garlic, grated
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, toasted
Instructions
Equipment: One 9×13 inch-baking dish
Cook the macaroni: In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil over medium heat. Add the salt and bring the water back to a boil. Taste the water. It should be salty like sea water. If it a little faint in salt taste, add additional salt. Add the macaroni and stir, with a wooden spoon or large slotted spoon, to ensure the macaroni does not stick to the bottom of the pot as it cooks. Cook until the macaroni is still quite firm, 6-8 minutes. Pour the macaroni and water into a strainer placed over the sink. Allow the water to drain out, reserving approximately 1 cup of the liquid.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Make the sauce: In the same pot, bring the cream and the reserved cooking liquid to a simmer. Whisk in the mustard, Stir in 3 cups of the Gruyère. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently; stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and integrates with the cream. Add all but ½ cup of the Parmesan and all of the cheddar. Stir with a wooden spoon and simmer again until smooth. Add a splash of Worcestershire, Tabasco and the garlic. Stir to blend. Taste for seasoning.
Finish: Add the macaroni to the cream and stir gently to blend. Allow the macaroni to “rest” on the stove, 5-10 minutes, so the pasta absorbs the flavors. If needed, add the remaining ½ cup Gruyère. In a medium bowl, mix the butter and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and the remaining ½ cup Parmesan. Transfer the macaroni to an ovenproof baking dish and top with the breadcrumb mix. Place the dish in the center of the oven and bake 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
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Cook With Me
For Alex Guarnaschelli,cooking has never been just about getting dinner on the table. With a legendary cookbook-editor mother (Maria Guarnaschelli) and afood-obsessed father, the….
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