Mac and Cheese with Sourdough Breadcrumbs

By LRay

Recipes & Menus / Recipes

Mac and Cheese with Sourdough Breadcrumbs
This mac and cheese is made with leftovers from our pasta feast menu. Serve it with a radicchio-arugula salad; toss the greens with a white balsamic vinaigrette. For dessert, make sautéed apples. Sauté sliced apples in butter, brown sugar, and allspice just until tender. Top with sweetened crème fraîche and chopped toasted pecans.

8 servings

PREP:

50 minutes

TOTAL:

1 hour 45 minutes

Recipe by Lora Zarubin

Photograph by Marcus Nilsson

October 2010

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 cups sourdough croutons (see Caesar Salad recipe), coarsely crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• 4 cups whole milk
• 3 cups (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 3 cups (packed) coarsely grated Fontina cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
• 8 cups reserved cooked ziti
• Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 50mins
Cooking time 110mins
Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation

breadcrumb topping

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and rosemary; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in croutons. Cool; stir in parsley.

mac and cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk flour, cayenne, and nutmeg in small bowl. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add flour mixture; stir 1 minute (do not brown). Gradually whisk in milk and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce thickens, 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk 2 cups cheddar, 2 cups Fontina, and 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano into sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in pasta; remove from heat. Mix 1 cup cheddar, 1 cup Fontina, and 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano in small bowl. Layer half of pasta mixture, then cheese mixture in baking dish; repeat. Sprinkle with breadcrumb topping. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until topping is golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with chopped parsley.

Hungry for More? If you have a question about this recipe, contact our Test Kitchen at [e-mail]. To see more recipes like this one, check out our Mac and Cheese Slideshow.