Gourmet Mac & Cheese

Recipe from Kiki (Ina Garten)

Ingredients

• Kosher salt

• 1 pound elbow macaroni

• 1 quart milk, heated

• 8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 9 ounces (3 cups) Gruyère, grated

• 9 ounces (3 cups) sharp cheddar, grated

• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ to ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 ½ cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

• Parmesan cheese (measure with your heart)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Microwaving slowly works too.

Melt 6 Tbs of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 Tbs salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Melt the remaining 2 Tbs of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.