Mac & Cheese is one of those childhood favorites. It seems like a dish that every Mom should know how to make from scratch. As I mentioned before someone had offered me as the go to person for recipes. I was asked about a good mac and cheese recipe. I was blank. I decided to try to find the best mac and cheese recipe so I would not be caught off guard again. My first round of mac and cheese you can find on my website. This recipe is my second attempt.
Here is Gruyere Mac and Cheese from the Panna website. A subscription is required to access all of the recipes. I received a free one year subscription when I purchased my Cutco knife. This recipe is a little more intricate than the last mac and cheese but well worth the work. This mac and cheese was gooey, cheesy, and creamy, pretty much what a person is looking for in a mac and cheese. It just so happened I ran out of milk in the middle of making this dish. I substituted half and half for the whole milk. Another change I made was added different kind of cheeses. I didn’t have quite enough of gruyere for the whole recipe so I started added some cheeses I had in the fridge. The next time I plan on having plenty of gruyere so that I don’t have to substitute.
Definitely try this mac and cheese at home. It was definitely better than the last attempt. The panko crumbs added just the right amount of crunchy. I also served my Mom’s meatloaf recipe with the mac and cheese, and the family enjoyed a hearty, wholesome meal. Loved it!
INGREDIENTS
- Whole milk
- 1/4
- Onion
- 1
- Bay leaf
- 1 lb
- Dry macaroni
- Salt, to taste
- 3 1/2 tbsp
- Unsalted butter
- 3 1/2 tbsp
- Flour
- 1 c
- Heavy cream
- 3 c
- Gruyère
- 1/2 c
- Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 c
- Parmesan, grated
- 1 tbsp
- Chives, chopped
- 1 tbsp
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
RECIPE
STEP 1
For the béchamel: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, onion and bay leaf to a simmer to scald, then turn down the heat. While the milk is heating, cook the macaroni in salted, rapidly boiling water for about 6 minutes. In the meantime, make the roux in a small saucepan by melting the butter and whisking in the flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring for 5 minutes to take out the raw flavor of the flour. Slowly add the scalded milk, whisking vigorously after each addition until smooth. The sauce will thicken and become smooth. When all the milk is incorporated, bring to a simmer again and take off the heat. Drain the cooked pasta.
STEP 2
Assemble the mac and cheese: Whisk the cream to the béchamel and season with salt and pepper. Place the macaroni in a large bowl and add 2 cups of the cheese. Pour the béchamel on top and mix to combine. Season to taste with salt.
STEP 3
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place macaroni in a buttered baking dish and top with the remaining Gruyère, then with the panko and Parmesan. Bake until the top is lightly browned and cheese is bubbly, 20-30 minutes.
STEP 4
Remove from the oven and garnish with chives and parsley.
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