As iconically American as apple pie, macaroni and cheese has a long history on the American table. The first recipe we’ve found was written by Mary Randolph, a cousin of Thomas Jefferson’s, back in 1824, and the recipe has changed very little since then. But, as with most traditional dishes, almost every household in America has its own way with mac and cheese. This one is ours, and if it differs from yours or your grandmother’s, just keep doing what you’re doing—we’re certain your version will be fine. And if you’ve never made mac and cheese, if you’ve always relied on that stale-tasting, bland, highly processed stuff in a box, take the time now to make this—and enjoy!
Our recipe looks long at first glance, but it’s not at all difficult and it will make a mac and cheese as suitable for a sophisticated dinner party as it is for a tailgate picnic. One key is a flavorful béchamel that lends such depth of flavor to the overall dish; once that’s done, it’s just a matter of assembling ingredients. And once baked, the pasta can be kept warm for several hours with no deterioration in flavor—though the aroma is so delicious we guarantee you’ll have hungry diners clustering around the dish as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Elbow macaroni is traditional, but the high-quality pasta makers don’t seem to produce this shape, so we use instead penne rigate, rigatoni, fusilli, farfalle, or any other short, stubby pasta shape. We also like a mixture of cheeses (it’s a good way to use up those ends of cheese tucked away in the refrigerator drawer) and always include a bit of smoked cheese for the flavor. Don’t feel you have to stick to traditional cheddar either—firm French and Italian cheeses can add surprising flavors. Think of various pecorino and caciocavallo cheeses, as well as reblochon, emmenthal, or a lightly smoked Spanish Idiazabal. Mozzarella goes on top to melt down in the oven heat. The best is imported Italian mozzarella, if you can find it. And always grated parmigiano-reggiano or another similar premium aged cheese for the final touch.
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 cups béchamel (here), prepared to the heavy cream stage
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cups mixed grated cheeses (see headnote )
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Stale bread, crusts removed, cubed, to make 2½ cups
About 1 pound (500 grams) short, curly pasta (see headnote)
¼ pound fresh mozzarella, cubed
¼ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano, grana padano, or other hard aged cheese
4 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
When the béchamel sauce has reached the heavy cream stage, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mustard and then the 4 cups grated cheeses. Taste and add a little salt and lots of pepper. Return the mixture to the heat, stirring just until the cheeses are melted. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
Set the oven on 350ºF. Using 1 tablespoon of the butter, grease the bottom and sides of a 3-quart oven dish.
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and mix with the oil. In a bowl, toss the bread cubes with the mixture and set aside.
When the water is boiling, add the pasta (do not add salt because the cheese may be quite salty) and cook following the directions here. Remove the pasta just short of al dente. Drain and immediately add to the béchamel cheese sauce. Taste the pasta again with the sauce and add more salt if it needs it.
Layer about half the pasta in the bottom of the greased oven dish. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cubes and add the remaining pasta. Top with the buttery bread cubes and the remaining mozzarella cubes. Finish with the grated parmigiano, covering as much of the surface as you can manage.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.