For Deguerre:
My Mac & Cheese "2.5" recipe:
Cheese Mix*
1/2 stick butter** (4T)
1 1/4 C Milk
1t Kosher Salt
1/8t Nutmeg
1/8t cayenne pepper
1/2 lb Elbow macaroni
1/4C Flour
2 1/4C Panko Bread Crumbs***
Tip: While the oven is heating up, start the water for the macaroni on to boil. The macaroni and the cheese roux/sauce should be ready just before the macaroni is, making the dish go faster.
Heat oven to 375 F
Butter 1 1/2Qt casserole dish
Melt 1T butter and sautee the panko bread crumbs. Set them aside.
Heat milk in a saucepan. You don't want this to boil, though
Melt remaining butter. When it bubbles, add flour and stir 1 minute (you should have a roux at this point).
SLOWLY pour the heated milk into the roux. Whisk it until it bubbles and thickens.
Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne, 2 1/4c of the cheese mix. Set this aside.
Cook the pasta 2-3 short of the time on the package.
Drain and rinse under COLD water. Stir the macaroni into the cheese roux/sauce.
Pour cheese and macaroni mixture into the casserole dish.
Sprinkle remaining cheese mix on top.
Sprnkle bread crumbs on top.
Bake for 30 minutes
** If you use mizithra*** cheese, you might want to use unsalted butter.
*** You can always find this at an Asian market, but some non-Asian markets carry it.
* Cheese mix:
1/2 oz Mild Cheddar
1/2 oz Gruyere
1/2 oz Asiago
1/2 oz Parmesan
1/2 oz Romano
4 oz Pepper Jack
4 oz Sharp Cheddar
2 1/2 oz mizithra***
Here is the top view: It didn't last long enough for pics inside.