MACARONI AND CHEESE

It's what you bring to this classic that makes it happen. This time of year, there's nothing like it.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

A large (gratin) baking dish or shallow cast iron pot

6 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon hot dried mustard*

1 pound small-shape Italian-brand pasta**

1 ¾ cups milk

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese***

2 tablespoons freshly-grated parmigiano cheese (optional)

Coarse bread crumbs

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set up water for boiling pasta. Grease baking dish or pot with 1 tablespoon butter. Cut 2 tablespoons butter into small cubes and chill in freezer. Heat milk until hot but not boiling.

Make sauce:  Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan until hot but not sizzling. Add 3 tablespoons flour and whisk vigorously until combined and bubbling. Slowly add hot milk, still whisking. Once sauce thickens, add shredded cheddar and mix thoroughly until ingredients combine. Add salt, dried mustard, and pepper, mix again thoroughly. 

Boil pasta in abundant salted water until al dente. Drain and then place half in buttered gratin dish. Ladle half the sauce over the pasta, then add the remaining pasta, topping with remaining sauce. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs, dot with remaining 2 tablespoons frozen butter, sprinkle top with grated parmigiano. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

*S&B Oriental Hot Mustard, available in Asian markets, is my mustard of choice. You want a sharp mustard for this.

**Elbow-shaped small macaroni, Italian preferred, because you want it to hold up during baking. Barilla's Cellentani works perfectly.

***I'm a Grafton Village Extra-Sharp Cheddar fan. It's wrapped in black wax and when you taste it, you'll know the difference.