Crunch Topped Mac And Cheese Recipes

CRUMB-TOPPED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente; drain and return to pot. , Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 1/4 cup butter and pepper flakes over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. , Stir in Gruyere, mascarpone, mustard, salt and pepper until blended. Add sauce to macaroni, tossing to combine. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Melt remaining butter. Add panko and Italian seasoning; toss to coat. Sprinkle over macaroni. Bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown, 10-15 minutes.

CRISPY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the bay leaf, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and whisk in the monterey jack, gruyere and cheddar one cheese at a time, allowing each cheese to melt before adding more. Add the pasta and stir until coated, adding the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen (the sauce will thicken as it bakes).
• Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Add the panko, parmesan and a pinch of salt; stir to combine. Scatter over the pasta and bake until the crumbs are browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.

BAKED, CRUNCHY-TOPPING, MAC N CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Grease a 3-quart shallow baking dish.
• Bring a pot of salted water (Who wants bland pasta?) to boil for the macaroni.
• The yummy topping: Melt 2 T unsalted butter
• In a bowl stir melted butter together with crushed Ritz and 1 cup cheddar until well combined. This can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• The yummy sauce: In a 5-quart heavy saucepan melt 3 T butter over med low heat.
• Stir in flour and red pepper flakes.
• Stir about 3 minutes and whisk in milk.
• Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly.
• Simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 3 minutes or so.
• Stir in the cream, the 4 cups of cheddar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
• Remove pan from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper.
• Cook macaroni in boiling water, al dente. (per package instructions)
• Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Drain macaroni.
• Return the macaroni to the pot (off the burner) and mix together the macaroni, reserved cooking water, and the sauce. (The sauce does stick a bit to the wax paper when removed)
• Transfer macaroni mixture to baking dish.
• Sprinkle topping evenly over the macaroni and bake on middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown and bubbling.

BEST EVER MACARONI CHEESE WITH CRUNCH CRUMB

Steps:

• Put the bay leaves, leek and milk in a pan, and gently heat until steaming but just below boiling point. Take off the heat and set aside to infuse for 1 hr.
• Drain the milk and discard the leek and bay. Wipe out the pan, then add the butter, flour and mustard powder. Heat, stirring, until the butter has melted, then cook to a paste for 1 min. Splash in some milk gradually and stir until smooth and completely incorporated. Add the rest of the milk, a little at a time at first, then gradually add more as the mixture gets saucy. (If you get any lumps, give it a vigorous whisk to remove them.) Heat, stirring all the time and scraping the bottom of the pan so it doesn't catch, until the sauce is bubbling and nicely thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in 200g of the cheddar and 25g of the parmesan. Season really well - keep tasting, as it will need a generous amount of salt.
• Cook the macaroni following pack instructions, until it is almost tender but still has a bit of chew to it. Drain well, then stir into the cheese sauce with three-quarters of the spring onions. Scrape into a large ovenproof dish or several individual ones.
• Scatter the remaining cheddar over the macaroni, then alternate between draping over pancetta slices (bunching them up a bit) and scattering with the bread cubes and remaining spring onions. (If you keep swapping between ingredients you'll get a nice mix of everything on the top.) Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and add a very little drizzle of oil - holding your thumb over the bottle so just a trickle comes out. Can now be cooled, covered and chilled for up to 1 day, or frozen for up to 1 month.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake for 40 mins until bubbling, and crunchy and golden on top (if using individual dishes, check after 30 mins).