Description
Ina Garten’s barefoot contessa mac and cheese delivers creamy comfort with sharp cheddar and Gruyère. Cheese lovers will savor each luxurious bite of this classic American pasta dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) Gruyère cheese, grated
- 8 oz (227 g) extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 lb (454 g) elbow macaroni or cavatappi
- ¾ lb (340 g) fresh tomatoes
- 1 qt (946 ml) milk
- 8 tbsps (113 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1–½ cups (120 g) fresh white bread crumbs
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- Kosher salt
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F with rack centered, ensuring uniform heat distribution.
- Pasta Cooking: Boil salted water, add olive oil, cook macaroni until al dente. Drain completely and set aside.
- Roux Creation: Melt butter in heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk in flour smoothly. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
- Sauce Development: Gradually pour hot milk, whisking vigorously to eliminate lumps. Cook until sauce thickens and coats spoon, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Cheese Integration: Remove from heat, blend cheddar and gruyère cheeses. Season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until sauce becomes silky and uniform.
- Combining Components: Fold cooked macaroni into cheese sauce, ensuring complete and even coating of pasta.
- Layering and Topping: Transfer mixture to baking dish, arrange tomato slices across surface. Combine remaining butter with breadcrumbs until golden and evenly coated.
- Final Baking: Sprinkle buttered breadcrumbs over tomatoes. Bake 30-35 minutes until top turns golden and edges bubble. Rest 5 minutes before serving to allow sauce to stabilize.
Notes
- Prevent Pasta Sticking: Add a tablespoon of olive oil to boiling water to keep macaroni from clumping together during cooking.
- Master the Roux: Cook flour and butter mixture for exactly 2 minutes, stirring constantly to develop rich flavor without burning.
- Achieve Creamy Sauce: Whisk milk gradually and continuously to eliminate lumps, ensuring a silky smooth cheese sauce that coats the pasta perfectly.
- Crisp Breadcrumb Topping: Thoroughly coat breadcrumbs in melted butter for a golden, crunchy exterior that adds delightful texture to the mac and cheese.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 670
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg