Long time no talk! Hello everybody. How are you doing? Good? Okay, great. On to the recipe!
Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? Nobody. That’s why it’s the perfect thing to bring to a potluck! This mac and cheese is easy, can mostly be done in advance, feeds a lot of people, and is absolutely delicious.
What you’ll need:
- 1 lb elbow pasta (or similar shape)
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 1/2 cups half and half
- 6 cups grated cheese ****
- About 20 Ritz crackers
- Salt
- Pepper
- Tabasco
- Drizzle of oil
- 9×13 or 3 quart pan
**** A few notes on the cheese. A mix of cheese is always great. I used 3 cups sharp cheddar, 2 cups gruyer, 1 cup Parmesan. Mix and match how you please. One more VERY important note is do NOT buy pre-grated cheese. They have a coating on them that prohibits them from melting well and giving you perfect texture. Buy whole blocks and grate your own.
If you’re eating this the same day you’re making it, preheat your oven to 325 degrees. If not, we’ll save this for later
In one pot, boil salted water. Once boiled, follow cooking instructions on the box. (This is a ~great~ time to ~grate~ your cheese if you haven’t done that yet). When it’s ready, drain pasta and drizzle with a little oil so it doesn’t stick together. Let this hang out while we make the sauce.
In a big pot over medium heat, add 1/2 cup of butter and melt. Once melted, add your flour and whisk continuously. We’re making a roux! You’ll want this to go for a few minutes or until it starts looking blonde and a little bubbly. You don’t want it white, because your whole dish will taste like flour, but you also don’t want to burn it.
Now, SLOWLY pour in half of the cream/milk mixture. Whisk until combined and smooth. Then, add the rest of the cream/milk. Bring it to a very soft boil (DO NOT LET IT BURN AND COME TO A FULL BOIL!!!). You’ll know it’s done when you coat the back of a spoon with it and it sticks, but when you blow on it it ripples, like the image below. At that point, take it off the heat.
Once off, add about 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of pepper, and a few dashes of tabasco. The tabasco adds a backbone of flavor rather than heat. You can also substitute with paprika or another vinegar based hots sauce if you don’t have any tabasco. Add the cheese about a third at a time, stirring each time until incorporated.
Add in the cooked pasta, combine, and transfer to your dish.
Lastly, crumble the ritz crackers and spread on top. Melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter and drizzle evenly over the top.
If you’re eating it today pop it in the oven for about 15-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.
If you’re making it ahead, let dish cool at room temp. Once cool, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to eat it, let it sit on a counter at room temp for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 325 degrees, and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.
It’s so good that I couldn’t even take a picture before people got to it! Hope you enjoy!
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