Smoked Macaroni and Cheese

By ghinman

Ingredients

• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 1/4 cup, all purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups, milk
• 1 Tbs. tomato paste
• 2 cups, sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups, Gouda cheese, shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch of Cayenne pepper
• 4 oz. crustless, country style bread
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 lb. rigatoni, cookede until al dante and drained

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter lg. rectangular baking dish. In a saucepan over med. heat, melt 4 Tbs. butter. Add flour, cook, stirring frequently, about 3 min. Whisk in milk; cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5 min. Whisk in tomato paste. Add 1 1/2 cups of each cheese; stir until melted. Season with salt, black pepper and ceyenne. Tear bread into crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together bread crumbs amd 2 Tbs. melted butter and salt. In lg. bowl, combine pasta and cheese sauce. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with remaininga cheeses and buttered bread crumbs. Bake until cheeses are golden and bubbly, about 40 min. If top becomes too dark, cover with foil. Let it stand 10 min. before serving.