Macaroni and cheese seems so simple, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not. Some people like it creamy, others not. Some people like it topped with breadcrumbs, others just a simple topping of grated cheese. Some add an egg to the mix, others aren’t having it. Me? I want mine rich and full of creamy deliciousness; I am not a person who likes mac and cheese to be dry. I’m also not a fan of crumb topping because I think that tends to dry things out even further. If you are the creamy macaroni and cheese lover that I am, brace yourself, because this recipe is absolutely IT! Look no further, this one’s for you.
Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
12 oz. cavatappi
no. 87 pasta*
¼ c. butter
¼ c. flour
1 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. water
½ t. dry mustard
1 t. onion powder
Pinch garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 10.75 oz. can condensed cheddar soup**
1 c. shredded Gruyere cheese
3 c. shredded cheddar, divided
½ c. freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 425° F. Spray a 9” x 13” casserole dish with PAM; set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook cavatappi until al dente (see box for correct time, I cooked for six minutes). Drain pasta and run under cold water to stop cooking.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and continue to cook two minutes, whisking occasionally. Slowly whisk in milk, cream, water, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste (I tend to have a heavy hand with the pepper). Cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken.
Remove from heat and stir in Gruyere, 2 cups of the cheddar, Parmesan, and condensed soup.
Toss noodles and sauce together, and pour into prepared dish. Top with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese, and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the sides are bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
*I consider cavatappi to be the adult version of elbow macaroni. If you’re cooking for a family of young traditionalists, feel free to use an equal amount of elbow macaroni.
**Yes, you need this.
I am LOL at the "Yes, you need this" on the soup! :D My gosh that does look so creamy and good. I promise to use the soup and not to put a crumb topping.
ReplyDeleteThe soup threw me off there for a minute, but it does look really good, so I'm printing away! And the only way I like crumb topping on mine is if the crumbs are super buttery and the mac and cheese is saucy. That crunchy creamy combo is yum.
ReplyDeleteYou have made a very good point. There are so many versions of this classic dish. I have my grandmother's which we love. I am intrigued by the dry mustard powder in the recipe. It is something that I never used before but recently purchased it for a particular recipe and now I've been using it more frequently.
ReplyDeletelooks so so good!!
ReplyDelete