Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe

CITY BAKERY MACARONI AND CHEESE
Makes 4 to 6 servings

The trick is in the proportions of crisp topping, creamy sauce, and smooth pasta -- and Chef Ilene Rosen gets it exactly right. She advises that you have some freedom in choosing your pan: just remember that a large, flat pan will give you a greater area of crumb topping than a small, deep one.

6 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the pan
1/4 cup corn bread crumbs (or more, depending upon pan size)
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 quart whole milk
6 tablespoons flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly butter a 3-1/2-quart deep baking dish or a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan.
2. Spread the crumbs in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes, drain, and place in a large bowl. (To prepare up to a day ahead, mix in a small amount of canola oil, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.)
4. Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
5. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter, add the flour, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk and continue whisking until smooth. Raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the spoon. Season with salt and pepper and strain through a fine strainer.
6. Add the sauce to the cooked macaroni. Add 1 cup each of the Gruyère, Cheddar, and Grana Padano, and mix well. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
7. Pour the macaroni mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (At this point, the macaroni and cheese may be cooled on the counter, covered, and refrigerated for one day. Before proceeding, preheat the oven to 350° F.)
8. Sprinkle the toasted corn bread crumbs evenly over the casserole and cover with foil. Bake on the middle shelf until heated through, about 20 minutes; remove foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown, an additional 10 minutes. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

FARFALLE AL QUATTRO FORMATTI
Makes 4 to 6 servings

This mixture of flavorful Italian cheeses -- creamy, soft robiola, pungent Taleggio, and rich, nutty fontina -- stirred into an oniony béchamel is a winner from Don Pintabona, the chef of New York's Tribeca Grill. The buttery topping adds an extra kick of Gorgonzola. Absolutely irresistible!

1 pound farfalle (or baby shells, orecchiette, mezza rigatoni)
2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the baking dish
1 medium onion, minced (about 11/4 cup)
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) aged robiola cheese, broken into small pieces
1 cup (1/4 pound) fontina cheese, broken into small pieces
1 cup (1/4 pound) Taleggio cheese, broken into small pieces
Fresh-cracked black pepper (see Note)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the pasta until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the milk to a scald.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter and cook the onion until soft and fragrant, but not colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the flour, and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Add the scalded milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Simmer, whisking, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened and smooth, with chunks of onion.
5. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the robiola, fontina, and Taleggio, in batches, until the cheeses are incorporated (they need not melt entirely). Add the pasta and stir well to combine. Season with black pepper.
6. Butter a 4-quart shallow flameproof baking dish and add the pasta. Sprinkle with the Gorgonzola and the breadcrumbs and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Bake on the middle shelf until bubbling, about 25 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and raise the temperature to broil. Place on the top shelf, about 4 inches from the flame, and broil until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

Note: For cracked black pepper, wrap peppercorns in a dish towel and smash them with a heavy pan.

TODAY'S MACARONI AND CHEESE

Rick Bayless, chef and owner of Chicago's Frontera grill and Topolobampo, confesses that he grew up on the wonderful slow-baked macaroni and cheese served at his parents' restaurant, which he calls "crusty cheese over submissive macaroni." His adult version is creamy and a little "edgy" -- with the delicious jolt of salsa.

2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups good-quality salsa ( such as Rick Bayless's Frontera Roasted Jalapeño Tomato or Roasted Poblano Tomato)
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
Kosher salt, about 11/2 teaspoons
1 pound dried pasta (elbow macaroni, cavatappi, rotini, or fusilli)
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Fill a large pot with about 6 quarts of water and set over high heat. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, or in a glass measuring cup in a microwave, for about 1 minute. In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then stir in the flour and whisk until the mixture turns a deep golden, about 2 minutes. Add the warmed milk all at once and continue to whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil, 4 to 5 minutes. (Whisk diligently and there will be no lumps.) Stir in the salsa, remove from the heat, then stir in the cheese, stirring until it melts. Taste and season generously with salt.
2. When the water has come to a boil, add the dried pasta. Stir well so no pieces stick together and boil until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Stir in the cheese sauce, then spoon into a serving dish. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

Note: If you want a wonderful contrasting texture, spoon the macaroni and cheese into a buttered baking dish. Top with buttered breadcrumbs and bake in a 375° F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until richly browned and crisp.

Copyright © 2001 by Joan Schwartz.