big mac attack

No, I was not craving a fast food hamburger.  When I have a mac attack, the object of my desire is a plate of creamy, crispy mac 'n cheese.  There are many schools of thought on the proper preparation of a good mac 'n cheese, and there are many tasty variations, from creamy stove top varieties, to soft and almost souffle like Southern versions made with egg custards.  My preferences tend to something in the middle of those two.  I like the smooth richness and crunch of a baked dish, covered with toasty garlic parmesan bread crumbs.  But I also like my pasta still nice and al dente.  To that end, I have discovered my favorite noodle for this dish to be the whimsical cavatappi noodles, sold here in the grocery store as "Corkscrews."

the thickness and ridges on the corkscrew noodles

makes it easier to keep them al dente in a baked dish

I cook them just shy of al dente, to a stage that they have quite a bite of "chew" left in them, then drain them and allow them to cool.  I don't rinse them, so some of their residual starch will enrich the sauce.

For the sauce, I like to start with a bechamel, the combination of equal parts flour and butter, cooked to a pale golden color, then combined with.... cream.  Yes, heavy cream, which on its own would make for a cloyingly rich sauce.  So, why do I use it?  Because of it's stability under heat.  Sauces made with milk can split and curdle.  So, the trick is to thin the bechamel with twice as much water or broth as cream.  So, if I use 1 cup of cream, I use two cups of water.  You can use broth, if you want that additional flavor, but I prefer water for its neutral flavor, that allows the cheese to be the star.

As for the cheeses, let your imagination be your guide.  I had some mild "hoop" cheese I wanted to use, which melts nicely to make a creamy sauce.  Then I kicked the flavor up by adding a very sharp aged cheddar.  But in the past I have used fontina, raclette, or monteray jack for creaminess, and anything from comte, blue cheese, aged jack, or gruyere for flavor.  There really are no limits to the combinations of cheeses.  Just let your taste buds be your guide, and be sure to include a cheese that melts smoothly to maintain that creamy mouth feel. I like to keep the sauce on the thin side, because it will thicken up as moisture evaporates, and the pasta absorbs some of the moisture and exudes starch.

I seasoned this sauce with a bit of thyme from the garden,

nutmeg, salt, and freshly ground pepper

fold in your noodles and any other additions you'd like.

here, it was ham and peas, for a main dish

You can simply bake that in the oven for about 30 minutes (40 minutes if you made this ahead and chilled it in the fridge, which works great), but I like the finishing touch of a crunchy topping.  So about half way through the baking time, I add a layer of crunchy, toasty breadcrumbs.  I like the zing of garlic, but I don't want its raw bite, so a quick secret for mellowing garlic is to pop your whole, unpeeled cloves in the microwave on high for 15 seconds or so.  It steams them just enough to take the edge off.  Since the crumbs freeze beautifully, I make a whole loaf's worth at a time.  Last night I used a loaf of asiago cheese bread, but any sturdy, chewy bread will do.  In the food processor, I pulverized chunks of the bread along with the garlic and about a a cup and a half of shredded parmesan.  I spread that mixture on a cookie sheet, and toasted them to a light golden brown.  The leftovers can just be popped into a freezer bag and frozen.  They are ready as a crunchy topping on vegetables or casseroles at a moments notice.

the mac 'n cheese with its crunchy topping

servred with a simple salad, this is a dish to

satisfy any real mac attack