3 cups cooked pasta (about 1/2 lb or 1/2 box uncooked). For best results, the pasta should be cooked one minute less than the minimum cooking amount indicated on the box.
1 1/2 cups basic Bechamel sauce
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar
2 tsps mustard powder
2 tsps Worcestershire powder
1 bay leaf (adult version only)
4 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup panko
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 350.
Make the Bechamel as directed, but substituting 1/3 cup of beer or Guinness for 1/3 cup of the milk, and adding the bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce to the sauce at the same time you pour in the milk. Add the cheddar and the mustard powder to the mixture as it is thickening and whisk well to blend.
Mix the cooked pasta with the sauce and spoon into an oven-proof dish. Recipes always say that the dish should be buttered but this seems to work just fine without buttering the dish first.
Melt the butter. Stir in the panko and cook on low, stirring often, until the panko turns an appetizing light golden color. Sprinkle this mixture and the Parmesan over the top of the dish.
Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.
At the last minute, turn on the broiler and, keeping a careful eye on the dish, broil for a few minutes so that the topping turns a crisp and darker golden-brown.
Wait 5 minutes before serving. This tastes nice with a simple endive salad or one made with bitter greens. Leftovers (if any) can be frozen and repurposed into bite sized snacks, either for a kid's after school snack or as nibbles with a cocktail.
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