Mac & Cheese With Bread Crumbs
Never eat boxed macaroni and cheese again. Make this delicious four cheese mac & cheese with bread crumbs for your family. Baked for another layer of flavor.
Ingredients
Topping
- 3 slices dry sandwich bread with crusts
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiana-Reggiano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Pasta
- 1 pound Pasta
- 11 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
- 1 c. grated Italian Fontina
- 1 cup grated Asiago
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 Tablespoon salt for water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt for sauce
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start preheating the oven to 500F.
Topping
- For the topping, pulse the bread in a food processor until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs; transfer to a small bowl and stir in the the parmigiana, salt and pepper and set aside.
Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt.
- When the water reaches a boil, add pasta.
- In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and set aside.
- Take a small saucepan and melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Whisk in the flour until no lumps remain, (about 30 seconds).Slowly whisk in the half and half and increase heat.
- Bring the mix to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 minute (to cook out the taste of the flour).
- Stir in the remaining salt and pepper and add the cheese.
- Stir until it is mixed and smooth. Turn off heat.
- When the pasta is completely cooked, Keep 1/4 cup pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and add to a large bowl with the pasta water.
- Add the cheese and cream mixture until the pasta is covered evenly.
- Pour into a 9x13 or 8x8 baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumb mixture, pressing down lightly.
- Bake until topping is golden brown – about 7 minutes.