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!