I make 2 different versions of mac and cheese depending on circumstance - one is a creamy, gooey, comfort dish of a bowlful much loved by small children, the other is more of a casserole - with a crispy topping and slightly more upscale cheeses in the mix. This second version, accompanied by a salad of bitter greens, makes it suitable for dinner parties where the theme is very much nostalgic nursery fare. The comfort version is in the image above; both recipes, retooled many times over the years, are listed below.
Version 1, creamy comfort:
4 portions dry short pasta of your choice (macaroni, elbows, shells, etc. I usually use 1/2 box of pasta for 4 people but you may want less or more depending on appetite)
2 cups Béchamel sauce
1 cup grated Cheddar (in the version above I used aged white Cheddar but traditionalists may prefer regular Cheddar as its orange color will make the dish look more like the beloved box version that most people know).
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Make the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water should you need to use it to loosen the sauce.
While the pasta is cooking make the Béchamel sauce; add the Cheddar and the Mozzarella as soon as you have added the milk. Whisk until the sauce is thickened and the cheese is completely melted.
Once the cheese is melted, add the sour cream and stir until incorporated. Then fold the sauce into the pasta so that the pasta is coated with as much of the sauce as you feel is right for this dish. If you find that the sauce is a bit too thick, add some additional milk or some of the pasta water until you get the desired consistency of sauce. I like my mac and cheese quite soupy in this particular version so I use the sauce.
Ladle the sauced-to-taste pasta into 4 bowls and top each with a quarter of the Parmesan. Serve in soup bowls with spoons.
I don't salt this version because I find that the cheeses and the salt in the pasta water are enough but please add some should you feel the dish needs it.
Version 2, casserole for casual dinner
4 portions dry short pasta of your choice (macaroni, elbows, shells, etc. I usually use 1/2 box of pasta for 4 people but you may want less or more depending on appetite)
2 cups Bechamel sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups grated or cubed cheese (I tend to use a mixture of Comté, Gruyère, Raclette and Fontina for optimum taste satisfaction but any mix of hard and gooey when melted cheese is good)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup panko
2 Tbsps butter
Pepper
Make the pasta according to the directions on the box but cook for two minutes less than the box says because this will be baked and will cook more. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking make the Béchamel sauce; add all of the cheeses except the Parmesan as soon as you have added the milk, as well as the mustard and a little pepper. Whisk until the sauce is thickened and the cheese is completely melted.
Fold the pasta into the sauce, check to see if you feel you need salt (I don't) and pour the whole thing into a buttered baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 350.
While it is preheating, melt the butter over medium heat in a frying pan. As soon as it is melted add the panko and stir until the panko has absorbed all of the butter and the mixture has turned a light golden brown. This only takes a few minutes and you need to pay attention as panko go from crispy and delicious to burnt in a second.
Spoon the panko mixture evenly over the top of the pasta. Repeat with the Parmesan.
Place the dish in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the dish is bubbling away.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving so that guests do not lose the roof of their mouths with the first bite.
Which one will you make?