Imagine the horror of ruining the Mac and Cheese on Thanksgiving Day. Your family may disown you, and the thought of that is simply unbearable. To avoid such a catastrophe, I highly recommend using my Mac and cheese recipe.
Let me tell you, my southern-style mac' n cheese recipe is a culinary masterpiece. It involves boiling the pasta in chicken stock, ensuring that every bite is packed with flavor. But that's just the beginning. Layers of cheese, seasonings, and butter come together to create a symphony of flavors that are truly divine.
Before diving into the recipe, let me share a bit of the history of this iconic dish. It's believed that macaroni and cheese originated in Northern Europe, and the earliest known recorded recipe dates back to 1769. However, it was Thomas Jefferson who introduced this creamy combo to the United States. During his visit to France, he became enamored with the fashionable pasta dishes served there, and he brought back noodle recipes and a pasta machine since this foodstuff was unavailable in the Colonies. As president, he even served macaroni and cheese at an 1802 state dinner.
The Five Kinds of Cheese You'll Need for Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese
Pecorino – Sharp with a salty flavor and hard texture.
Gruyere – Sweet but slightly salty. Did you know that Gruyere cheese is named after the town of Gruyeres?
Mozzarella- Mild, refreshing and supple, this Mozzarella gets its flavors from either cow or buffalo milk. It has a springy and dense consistency with a light and barely discernible aroma of wholesome cream
Sharp Cheddar Cheese_ Sharp is the term that indicates how cheddar changes in flavor and texture as it ages. sharp 6 to 9 months
Parmesan Cheese- True Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese has a sharp, complex fruity/nutty taste with a strong savory flavor and a slightly gritty texture.
Ingredients:
1 Pound dried pasta like elbow, penne or shell
4 Tablespoons Butter
¼ Cup of All-Purpose Flour
½ teaspoon Ground Mustard
½ teaspoon Ground Pepper
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup Gruyere Cheese
1 Cup Pecorino Cheese
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 Cup Chicken Stock
3 Cup Of Milk
Panko Topping
2 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Cup Seasoned Panko Crumbs
Instructions:
Preheat oven
Begin cooking your pasta according to the package instructions, but instead of using water use 2 cup of chicken stock.
Melt butter in a Dutch Pot or 10” cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and whisk until smooth, with no lumps remaining.
Now add spices and Milk (Pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground mustard) stir well and brings to a boil. You may notice the butter and milk will separate, continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the milk is heated and they combine.
6. Reduce the temperature to low and add all the cheese, stir until cheese are melted and smooth.
7. Add cooked pasta, don’t forget to drained the pasta and stir until its all covered in cheese
8. Set aside too cool to prepare your panko topping.
Panko Topping:
Add you butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until melted
Now add the panko and still well until the oil and butter has been absorbed. Continue to stir until panko is lightly toasted and the color turned medium brown.
Now add your Mac and cheese to your baking dish of choice.
Sprinkle the toasted panko evenly over the Mac and cheese.
Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered at 350F for 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven, until golden brown and bubbly. Let cool for 20 minutes. Enjoy!!
Note: I recommend buying your own block of Parmesan, Gruyere, and Pecorino Cheese and grating it yourself to guarantee that the cheese melts properly.
You can make Mac and Cheese two days ahead of time and chilled
Baked Mac and Cheese freezes well. Let it cool completely on a rack before freezing, and then wrap it well with foil. Defrost the frozen mac and cheese in the refrigerator and then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Freshly Grated Cheese: Grate your cheese right before cooking for the best result
Making the Roux: You don’t want to rush through the roux (the butter and flour mixture). The flour needs to cook for four minutes with the butter. You don’t want a raw, lumping flour-tasting sauce.
Adding Your Milk: It will take your milk a couple of minutes for the milk to thicken up.
Pasta: You want to cook your pasta Al Dente since it will finish cooking in the oven
Equipment: A box grater for cheese, a large 9x13 Baking Dish, or Large Dutch Oven