Gourmet Mac & Cheese

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I can’t say that I recall my mother ever making mac & cheese from scratch when I was growing up.  I don’t think it was something that my father would have enjoyed and my mother cooked to please him for the most part.  He was the main bread winner for the family and he didn’t like anything too much out of the ordinary.  In fact for a very long time the only seasonings he wanted my mother to use were salt and black pepper.

Occasionally she would treat us to a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese and we were pretty happy about that. When I was going to University with my first husband Kraft Mac & Cheese got us through a whole year.  I remember at the time, you could buy 10 boxes for $1.  That’s a lot of Mac & Cheese!  We didn’t mind.  We were young, poor,  and had other priorities.

A dish such as this Mac & Cheese I am showing you here today would have been a real luxury. (Its still a real luxury!)  Both in calories and cheeses . . . and this uses not one but  four kinds of delicious cheese!

A nutty Comte, a sharp strong cheddar, some rich tallegio and salty parmesan.  This is the Queen of Mac & Cheese dishes!  Simple ingredients put together beautifully.  This is nothing less than spectacular!

90g grated taleggio cheese (3/4 cup)

Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions in lightly salted water.  Drain well, rinse in cold water, and drain again.  Set aside. 

Melt  the butter in a large saucepan.   Whisk in the flour in and allow to cook over low heat for about a minute.  Slowly whisk in the warm milk.  Cook and wisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and thickens.  Stir in the cheddar cheese and all but 3 TBS each of the Comte and taleggio cheeses.   Whisk and stir until all of the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.    Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the cooked pasta. 

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a shallow 1 litre baking dish.  Pour in the pasta and cheese sauce.   Mix together the remaining cheeses along with the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over top  Sprinkle the crumbled crackers over top.  Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.