Oven Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
  • 8 oz. elbow macaroni

  • SAUCE:
  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 3 Tbs. flour
  • 1/2 small onion finely diced
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1/4 tsp. mustard powder
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 1-1/2 C milk, warmed in microwave for 30-45 seconds to get to room temperature
  • 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (alternately can be 6 oz cheddar and 2 oz of blue), grated
  • 2-1/2 oz. swiss cheese, grated

  • TOPPING:
  • 1 large slice sourdough bread ground to crumbs
  • 1 tsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
Instructions:

Put a large pot of water on to boil and preheat the oven to 350

Sauce: In a large saucepan over medium-low heat melt the butter; once it stops foaming add the olive oil. Raise the heat to medium/medium-high and cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the mustard powder and pepper. Add the flour to the mixture and stir until completely combined to form a roux.

Let the roux cook for about 30-45 seconds stirring regularly to make sure the raw flour taste is cooked out. Slowly whisk in the milk in batches making sure to incorporate fully with each addition.

Once you have added the full 1-1/2 C of milk, allow the mixture to come to a simmer and check the consistency. It should just barely coat the back of a spoon. If thicker than that add more milk (slowly and incorporating each time) to thin it down.

Taste the sauce base and adjut seasoning as needed. Note that the cheeses will add quite a bit of salt so do not over-salt things.

Once the mixture is the right consistency add your cheese in batches, stirring each batch in fully before moving to the next one.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve a bit of the pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Add the pasta to the sauce, stirring to incorporate everything. If needed use some of the reserved pasta water to thin the mixture. Transfer the pasta and sauce to an 8x8 baking dish.

Topping: In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until it stops foaming, then add the olive oil and bread crumbs. Keep the pan moving, stirring the bread crumbs until nicely browned then evenly spread the topping over the baking dish.

Bake for an hour until bubbly around the edges and browned on top; remove from the oven and let sit for 30 minutes to set up


Date Added:April 23, 2017
Classification:Pasta Main Dishes
Source:Doug
Meals:Dinner, Picnic
Courses:Main Course, Side Dish
Preparations:

Bake, Stovetop

Notes:

2016 For an 11x7 pan use 1.5 times. If you can't bake right away it will keep in the fridge well, simply wait to do the topping until you are ready to bake