Baked Macaroni and Cheese

By nurseliz

Alton Brown's recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb elbow macaroni
• 6 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp powdered mustard
• 3 c milk
• 1/2 c diced onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 oz sharp cheddar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 c panko bread crumbs

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta al dente
While the pasta cooks, in a separate pot melt 3 tbsp of butter. Whisk in flour and mustard. Keep it moving for 5 minutes-be sure it's free of lumps. Stir in milk, onion, bay leaf and paprika. Simmer for 10 min and remove bay leaf.
Temper in the egg(adding some hot liquid to it before mixing it in). Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in macaroni and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt remaining butter in saute pan and toss in bread crumbs. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven and let rest for 5 min. before serving.