Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Best Mac N Cheese for One

Best Mac N’ Cheese
Cook a cup of elbow macaroni in boiling salted water with a little oil added. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, make a béchamel sauce: melt a tablespoon of butter, whisk in a tablespoon of flour, and cook until bubbly. Add a cup of cold milk and continue whisking until thickened. Season with salt, white pepper, a pinch of hot chili powder, and some chopped fresh thyme or flat leaf parsley (or just a simple grating of fresh nutmeg). Stir in a cup of grated cheese, such as a combo of white and yellow Cheddar, or some parmigiano and/or Emmental—whatever your favorites may be. You have a lot of choices.

Drain the pasta and toss into your béchamel. Spoon into a small casserole dish, sprinkle with toasted fresh or panko breadcrumbs, place on baking sheet and stick in 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven until golden and bubbly, about fifteen minutes or so.
Enjoy!