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Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
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Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Ingredients
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1/2 cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened, divided
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3/4 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
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2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
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1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
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2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
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1/4 cup (about 1 1/8 oz.) all-purpose flour
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2 1/2 cups warm whole milk (about 110°F)
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1 1/2 cups warm half-and-half (about 110°F)
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2 tsp. dry mustard (such as Colman’s)
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1 tsp. garlic powder
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1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
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8 oz. sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
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4 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
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8 oz. Colby-Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
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1 (16-oz.) pkg. short, curly pasta (such as cavatappi or elbow), cooked to al dente according to pkg. directions
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8 oz. low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
Directions
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Prepare oven and baking dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
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Make panko topping:
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium. Stir in panko; cook, stirring often, until lightly golden and toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer toasted panko to a small bowl; let cool completely, about 10 minutes. Once cooled, stir in Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
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Make roux:
Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium. Whisk in flour; cook, whisking constantly, until bubbly, light brown in color, and toasty in aroma, about 2 minutes.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
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Add milk and half-and-half:
Gradually add milk and half-and-half to skillet; cook, whisking constantly, until smooth. Cook over medium, whisking often, until mixture comes to a simmer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
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Add seasonings and cheeses:
Remove skillet from heat; whisk in dry mustard, garlic powder, cayenne, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt until well combined. Gradually whisk in Cheddar, Gouda, and 1 cup of the Colby-Jack cheese, 1 cup at a time, until melted and smooth.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
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Fill baking dish:
Stir cooked pasta into mixture in skillet until evenly coated. Spread half of pasta mixture (about 5 cups) into prepared baking dish; top evenly with 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/2 cup of the Colby-Jack cheese. Top evenly with remaining pasta mixture (about 5 cups); sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Colby-Jack cheese.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
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Add panko topping:
Sprinkle reserved panko mixture evenly over pasta mixture.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
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Bake macaroni and cheese:
Bake in preheated oven until pasta mixture is bubbly around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes, loosely covering with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning, if needed. Let stand on a wire rack at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel