Four-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

By jojomail1

Ultracreamy, due to mixing in a little velveeta. From Saveur magazine.

Ingredients

• kosher salt to taste
• 8 ounces hollow pasta (elbow macaroni or shells)
• 3 slices crustless white bread
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 shallots minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cups milk
• 10 ounces grated sharp white cheddar (4 cups)
• 10 ounces grated Gruyere (about 4 cups)
• 6 ounces velveeta (1 1/2 cups cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
• 1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a 4 quart saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked halfway through, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta and set aside. Tear bread into small pieces and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground, set aside. Return pan to medium heat and melt 3 tbsp of butter. Add bread crumbs and stir to combine. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Wipe out pan and set over medium heat. Melt remaining butter, add paprika, thyme, shallots and bay leaf, stirring often. Cook until shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cayenne and stir until thickens, 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook, whisking often until sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaf and remove pan from heat. Stir in cheddar, half of Gruyere, the Velveeta and blue cheese, continue stirring until smooth. Stir in pasta, season sauce with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to an 8 x 8 baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Gruyere over top the pasta then then top with bread crumbs. Transfer baking dish to an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown and bubbly, 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.