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tini mac and cheese

Tini’s mac and cheese

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

1 pound (16oz) cavatappi or pasta of choice
3 cups mild cheddar, freshly grated
3 cups Colby Jack, freshly grated
3 cups low-moisture mozzarella, freshly grated
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups evaporated milk
2 cups heavy cream (or substitute half and half for a lighter version)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1-½ teaspoons kosher salt (plus more for pasta water)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra reserved cheese blend for top
Optional for topping: ½ cup panko bread crumbs tossed with 1 Tbsp melted butter

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch casserole or lasagna dish.
  2. Boil pasta: In a large pot of aggressively salted water, cook cavatappi until just shy of al dente (1-2 min less than package). Drain and reserve ½ cup cooking water. Set aside.
  3. Make the roux: In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium. Stir in minced garlic, sauté 1-2 minutes until fragrant, NOT browned. Sprinkle in flour, whisking constantly for 2-3 minutes (should smell nutty, not raw).
  4. Add milk/cream: Slowly whisk in evaporated milk + heavy cream, keeping mixture smooth. Bring to gentle simmer; stir in Dijon, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  5. Add cheese: Remove pot from heat. Gradually whisk in all the shredded cheeses in batches (save a heaping cup for topping). Sauce will be thick, glossy, and very cheesy.
  6. Combine pasta: Fold the drained cavatappi into the sauce until fully coated. If too thick/dry, add a splash of pasta water.
  7. Layer it up: Spoon half of the cheesy pasta into your greased baking dish. Sprinkle half the reserved cheese on top. Repeat with remaining pasta, then cheese.
  8. Crispy top: Scatter panko crumbs over top (optional). Or skip panko for pure cheese crust!
  9. Bake: 35-40 minutes, until top is deep golden, cheese is bubbling at edges, and deliciously crispy. Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving for ultimate creaminess.