Macaroni and Cheese is the best American comfort food. Mom used to make Betty Crocker’s baked macaroni and cheese. She rolled the cheese chunks in flour so when they melted, they formed cheese pockets surrounded by macaroni. Then she placed dollops of butter on top of the dish before baking. The cheese encrusted the top of the macaroni, forming crunchy crust. It was oh so good. Whenever I returned home from college or for a weekend visit, I always requested Mom’s macaroni and cheese. Below is Martha Stewart’s macaroni and cheese. It’s an adult version of mac and cheese, and oh so good. Great for entertaining and winning kudos.

Martha Stewart Macaroni and Cheese

* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
* 6 good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
* 5 1/2 cups milk
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
* 4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese, (about 18 ounces)
* 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese, (about 8 ounces) or 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 5 ounces)
* 1 pound elbow macaroni

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.
2. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.
3. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
4. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.
5. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer’s directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce
6. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot. Serves 12.

Posted by Deborah on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007 at 11:03 am | under More Little Tales, Comfort Recipes |RSS 2.0 feed | Respond, or Trackback.