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Mac and Cheese – Baked

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Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 kg cavatappi pasta (or pasta of your choice)
  • 4 pkgs lardons (400g)
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 5 cups milk (whole milk works well)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • bit of nutmeg
  • bit of cayenne (less than nutmeg)
  • 900 g cheese, grated (can use a mix of raclette, gouda, comté, & a bit of emmental, + cheddar is always good)
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Crunchy Topping

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs (or crushed cornflakes works well)

Instructions

  1. Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.
  2. Cook lardons until crispy. Remove from pan.
  3. (Leftover grease can be used for next step in addition to some butter)
  4. *If using a large enough cooking vessel (like a large dutch oven), you can do everything following in this one pot, rather than buttering the pan & mixing everything separately.
  5. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk and cook 2-3 minutes. Add in salt and pepper, nutmeg & cayenne.
  6. Add garlic and cook a minute.
  7. Slowly pour in 4 c. milk whisking until smooth and heating to a low boil until thickened. Do not stop until thick. Remove from heat.
  8. Grease a 9×13″ baking dish and add the hot pasta to the dish. Over the top sprinkle 6 c. of freshly shredded cheese. Pour the thickened cream sauce over the hot pasta and cheese and let it sit until the cheese melts. Stir everything together (lardons included).
  9. *If doing in one-pot/large dutch oven: Mix the cheese into the roux until mostly melted and mixed well. Add lardons & pasta.
  10. Melt 2 T. butter over medium heat. Add in panko bread crumbs, stirring constantly 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Pour over the mac and cheese.
  11. Bake in a preheated 325°F / 160°C degree oven 15 minutes.

Find it online: https://recipes.jordanprins.com/mac-and-cheese-baked/