Macaroni & Cheese

By á-2421

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick) plus more for casserole
• 6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into ¼ to ½ inch pieces
• 5 ½ cups milk
• ½ cup flour
• 2 tsp salt plus more for water
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 ½ cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 ¼ cups grated Romano cheese
• 1 lb elbow macaroni

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish, set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Pour over bread, toss and set aside. Warm milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Melt remaining butter in a high-sided skillet. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring 1 minute. While whisking, add hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking until mixture thickens – about 8-12 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, peppers, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 cup Romano. Set the cheese sauce aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni until outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone – 2-3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse and drain well. Add to cheese sauce. Pour into prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bread crumbs over top. Bake until golden -–about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.