Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 5 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 cups whole milk, warmed
• 3 cups sharp cheddar, grated
• 1 cup Gruyère, grated
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the macaroni two minutes shy of the package time, since it will keep cooking in the oven and you do not want it mushy.

2. 2

   Melt four tablespoons of butter, whisk in the flour, and cook the roux for two full minutes before streaming in the warm milk.

3. 3

   Whisk until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, then take it off the heat and stir in the cheddar, Gruyère, and mustard powder.

4. 4

   Fold the pasta into the sauce, season it more than seems necessary, and spread it into a buttered baking dish.

5. 5

   Toss the panko with the remaining melted butter and Parmesan, scatter it over the top, and bake at 375°F for twenty-five minutes until bubbling and brown.