I've yet to make a homemade mac and cheese that is as good or creamy as a restaurant version. That doesn't mean these ones I've tried are bad, just that they don't live up to my very lofty expectations. I need to figure out what type of cheese is used by restaurants and go from there. Probably some chemical-made sauce. Maybe I don't want to think about it too hard.
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded white cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 pepper
- pinch of ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and half and half; cook, whisking constantly, 3-5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheddar, Parmesan, 1 cup Gruyere, and next 3 ingredients until smooth.
Stir together pasta and cheese mixture; pour into a lightly greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Top with remaining 1 cup Gruyere cheese.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
NOTES: You can make this whole recipe ahead of time, just don't put the last bit of Gruyere on it. Cover it, put it in the fridge, and when you're ready to cook it, set it out for 30 minutes to get to room temperature. You'll bake it at 350 still, but for 20-25 minutes and then, when it gets bubbly, increase the temperature to 400. Put the last cup of Gruyere on the top and bake it for 10 minutes.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Recipe from America's Best Recipes: Comfort Food
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