Mac & Cheese, Please: Truffle, Thyme & White Cheddar Mac with Panko & Parm
Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Can anyone really argue with that? Yeah, I didn't think so. Kraft mac and cheese was always kind of a stand-by when I was a kid (shapes always tasted better than the macaroni noodles, obvi). And every once in awhile, on special kid occasions, we might get Velveeta Shells and Cheese (the fancy stuff). My dad even made his own macaroni and cheese from scratch from time to time. Mac and cheese played a pretty pivotal role in my childhood...
....and it's just as exciting in adulthood. Except now I buy real cheese, pick out whatever pasta shape I want, throw in fancy truffle oil, use panko instead of breadcrumbs and, and, and...it's kind of like still being a kid because you can experiment with so many different variations! Try this one on for size. It may be my first mac and cheese recipe on the blog, but it certainly won't be the last.
Truffle, Thyme & White Cheddar Mac with Panko & Parm
Serves: 3-4
Preparation TIme: 30-45 minutes
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter, divided
2 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk (rough estimate, you may need more or less than this—I used whole milk)
2 c. white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tbsp. truffle oil
1/2 lb. short pasta of your choice (I used gobetti/cavatappi)
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
couple sprigs of fresh thyme
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Set a medium-large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. In the meantime, make your sauce.
2. In a sauce pan, melt 2 tbsp. butter over medium-high heat. Once melted and just starting to brown, slowly add in flour, whisking continuously. The butter will thicken and before it becomes more of a paste, slowly start pouring in milk (not all of it, just enough to become creamy again), still continuing to whisk the sauce. Gradually add in shredded cheese, again continuing to whisk. You'll have to play around with the ratios adding more cheese and milk until the sauce becomes creamy and pourable, not too think and definitely not watery. Once you've found the consistency you like, remove from heat, stir in truffle oil, cover and set aside.
3. Once your water comes to a boil, add pasta and cook until just al dente, maybe a little firmer. Strain and place in a dish that can go in the oven. Add last tbsp. of butter and stir to coast the pasta in the butter. Then pour in cheese sauce, top with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and a few sprigs of thyme. Bake until breadcrumbs and cheese turn golden (about 15-20 minutes).
