Mac and Cheese with Crispy Topping Recipe
Mac and cheese is one of the most homely dishes in the USA – a bit like our baked pasta casseroles, just with a huge amount of cheese sauce. Americans eat it as a quick weeknight dinner or as a side to roast meat at family gatherings. The version with a crispy breadcrumb topping is especially popular, because it combines a creamy center with a pleasant crunch on top.
This mac and cheese combines American comfort food with our approach to baked casseroles: a thick, intensely cheesy sauce coats the pasta, and on top you get a distinctly crispy, garlicky breadcrumb crust. The combination of cheddar and gouda gives a deep, slightly nutty flavor and a beautiful, stretchy texture you can’t mistake for any other pasta bake. It tastes like something straight out of a small diner on an American highway.
Chef's tips
Be sure to cook the pasta al dente, because it will continue to cook in the oven – if you boil it until fully soft, the whole dish will turn to mush. Whisk the sauce from the moment you add the flour through adding the milk; that way you’ll avoid lumps. It should have the consistency of heavy cream before you add the cheese. Keep an eye on the topping at the end of baking: as soon as it starts to turn golden at the edges and lightly brown in the center, take the dish out so the breadcrumbs don’t burn and turn bitter.
How to serve
The best way to serve this mac and cheese is as a hearty main course with a simple salad and vinaigrette, or as a side to roast chicken for a Sunday family dinner. To drink, a pale beer or a slightly dry white wine like Chardonnay pairs well and cuts through the richness of the cheese. It’s also a great “screen-time” dish – perfect for a series night when everyone helps themselves straight from the baking dish.
Ingredients
- pasta preferably elbows or short tubes - 250 g
- butter - 40 g
- wheat flour - 30 g
- milk at room temperature or slightly warm - 500 ml
- cheddar cheese grated on a fine grater - 200 g
- gouda cheese grated, for a milder flavor - 80 g
- mustard preferably Dijon, but regular is fine - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- breadcrumbs for sprinkling - 40 g
- oil for mixing with the breadcrumbs - 1 tablespoon
- garlic finely chopped or pressed - 1 clove
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta 1–2 minutes less than indicated on the package so it stays slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute, until you get a smooth paste that foams slightly but does not brown.
- Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook for 5–7 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and is as smooth as heavy cream.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper, then add both cheeses. Stir until the cheese is completely melted and you have a smooth, stretchy sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly so every piece is coated in sauce.
- Transfer the pasta with sauce to a baking dish and smooth the top with a spoon.
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, oil and chopped garlic until the breadcrumbs are lightly moistened and resemble wet sand.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the pasta.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 15–18 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy and bubbles of sauce appear around the edges.
- Let the casserole rest for 5–10 minutes before serving so it sets slightly and is easier to slice.
Storage
Przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku do 3 dni. Odgrzewaj pod przykryciem w piekarniku lub mikrofalówce, możesz dodać łyżkę mleka, żeby sos znów był kremowy. Po zamrożeniu struktura sera będzie trochę bardziej ziarnista, ale nadal smaczna.
