Ingredients
- 7 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
- 1 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Preparation
Baking Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
and butter a 3- to 4-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish.
In a heavy saucepan melt 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat.
Add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes.
Add milk in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking.
Add mustard, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
In a kettle of salted boiling water cook macaroni until just al dente, about 7 minutes, and drain well.
In a large bowl stir together macaroni, sauce, Cheddar, and 1 cup Parmesan and transfer to prepared dish.
In a small bowl stir together bread crumbs and remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and sprinkle evenly over macaroni.
Cut remaining 1 tablespoon butter into bits and scatter over topping.
Bake macaroni in middle of oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
Tips:
When preparing the following pastas in advance (up to six hours), keep them covered and chilled and then let them come to room temperature before baking.
