Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Aunt Kim's Beach House Macaroni & Cheese

 16 oz tubular pasta, cooked
1 Tbsp. EVOO olive oil
6 Tbsp. butter
1/3 C. flour
3 C. whole milk
1 C. heavy whipping cream
4 C. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 C. gruyere cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 C. panko crumbs, for topping
4 Tbsp butter, melted, for topping
1/2 C. parmesan cheese, shredded, for topping
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika (or regular is fine), for topping

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large 3- or 4-qt baking dish and set aside. Combine shredded cheese in a large bowl and set aside.
2) Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and place in a large bowl.
3) Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce.
4) Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or stock pot.
5) Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden.
6) Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until nice and smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes. Whisk in salt and pepper.
7) Add two cups of shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Add another two cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth. Sauce should be nice and thick.
8) Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce.
9) Pour half of the mac n cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 C. of shredded cheese and then the remaining mac n cheese.
10) In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, melted butter, and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Beach House 2021

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