The Ultimate Mac and Five-Cheese

Thanksgiving week is finally upon us and I’m sure all you eager beavers have your Christmas trees up and fully trimmed for your family gatherings. I’ve already made my way to three Friendsgivings and am glad to say that I’ll be taking a little turkey break the rest of this week. But before I set my sights on all things Christmas, I had to share my latest ultimate mac and cheese recipe that will be the talk of the town. It’s the perfect and essential side dish to your Thanksgiving spread and I promise you it will be the cheesiest thing you’ll eat all year. This mac and five-cheese dish uses two different cheddars and a melty fontina and gruyere to balance it out. And finally… parmesan added to the panko bread crumb topping for the perfect last touch.

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MAC AND FIVE-CHEESE

Serves 8-10

ingredients + TOOLS

• 16 oz elbow macaroni

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 6 Tbsp flour

• 3 cups whole milk

• 1 cup fontina, shredded

• 1 cup white cheddar, shredded

• 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

• 1 cup gruyere, finely shredded

• Salt and pepper to season

• 9x13 casserole dish or 8-10 individual cast iron skillets

Topping:

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

• 3 Tbsp butter

• 1 Tbsp thyme, finely chopped

• 1 Tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped

• 3 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan

STEPS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Butter casserole dish or mini cast iron skillets.

3. Heat a large pot of water over high heat and cover. When the water is at a roaring boil, generously season the water with salt.

4. Add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente, or just slightly undercooked. Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain in a colander and set aside.

5. While the pasta is cooking, start making the bechemel (white base sauce). In a large saucepan, melt 6 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until the flour begins to brown and smells nutty. In a slow steady stream, whisk in the milk and allow the sauce to come to a simmer.

6. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, stir in the fontina cheese until completely melted. Then add in the remaining cheeses one at a time. Make sure that each cheese is fully melted before adding the next. Season with salt and pepper to taste and turn off the heat.

7. Add the cooked macaroni and stir into the cheese sauce until everything is well combined. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish or individual cast iron skillets.

8. To prepare the topping, melt 3 tbsp of butter in a pan on low heat and toss the panko bread crumbs to coat. Continue to heat the bread crumbs until they begin to brown and are fragrant. Add the thyme and parsley to the crumb mix and stir until all the bread crumbs have evenly browned. Add in the grated parmesan and stir in to incorporate. Remove from heat.

9. Sprinkle the macaroni and cheese with the topping mixture.

10. Bake the macaroni and cheese 15 to 20 minutes until browned and bubbly. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes to rest before serving.