Baked Mac and Cheese

Macaroni and sauce

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 cups milk
• 1 pound coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (6 cups)
• 1/2 cup grated Italian Mix Cheese 
• 1 pound elbow macaroni

 

Topping (makes a lot, you may want to halve)

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 2 cups panko (coarse Japanese bread crumbs) 
• 1/4 pound coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup Italian mix cheese

 

Make topping:
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.

Melt butter, then stir together with panko and topping cheeses in a bowl until combined well.

 

Make sauce:
Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes, then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cheeses, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Remove from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper.

 

Make Macaroni:
Cook macaroni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in a colander. Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to 2 buttered 2-quart shallow baking dishes.

 

Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.