Southern Style Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- Vegetable oil
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
- 1 quart milk
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
- 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts
removed)
Directions
Preheat the oven
to 375 degrees F.
Drizzle oil into
a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the
directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes.
Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat
the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter
in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes,
stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute
or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere,
Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and
stir well.
Pour into a
3-quart baking dish.
Slice the tomatoes
and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them
with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes,
or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
