Description
Ina Garten’s truffled mac & cheese combines luxurious ingredients with classic comfort. Creamy gruyère and white cheddar blend perfectly with delicate truffle notes, creating a sophisticated dish you’ll savor with pure culinary delight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 0.5 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 0.5 inch thick
- 0.5 lb cremini mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 0.5 inch thick
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta, such as De Cecco
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 cups (10 oz) grated Gruyère cheese
- 3 cups (8 oz) grated extra-sharp white Cheddar
- 3 oz white truffle butter, such as Urbani
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups diced white bread, crusts removed
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.25 cup cream sherry, such as Harveys Bristol Cream
- 3 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Good olive oil
Instructions
- Mushroom Preparation: Sauté mushrooms in butter and olive oil over medium heat until tender. Deglaze with sherry, cooking until liquid absorbs, then set aside.
- Pasta Foundation: Boil salted water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain carefully, maintaining ideal texture.
- Cream Sauce Creation: Scald milk in a saucepan. In a separate pan, melt truffle butter and whisk in flour to form a roux. Cook on low heat, gradually incorporating scalded milk until thickened. Remove from heat and blend in Gruyère, Cheddar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Dish Assembly: Mix cooked pasta, cream sauce, and two-thirds of prepared mushrooms in a large bowl. Transfer to a baking dish, creating a unified flavor profile.
- Crispy Topping Technique: Pulse bread, garlic, and parsley in a food processor to create fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle evenly over pasta, strategically positioning remaining mushrooms on top.
- Baking Finale: Roast in a preheated 190°C / 375°F oven for 35-45 minutes until surface turns golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to harmonize before serving.
Notes
- Mushroom Mastery: Sauté mushrooms carefully to develop deep, rich flavors, ensuring they’re tender but not soggy for maximum taste impact.
- Pasta Precision: Cook pasta just to al dente, as it will continue cooking in the sauce and during baking, preventing potential mushiness.
- Sauce Smoothness: Whisk the roux continuously to avoid lumps and create a silky, luxurious base that coats the pasta perfectly.
- Topping Technique: Pulse breadcrumbs to a fine texture for an even, crispy golden crust that adds delightful crunch to the creamy mac and cheese.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg