With its crunchy top and saucy pasta textures, Baked Mac and Cheese reigns as a great recipe for many occasions. Weather looking for a wholesome entre for a child’s birthday party, or an outdoor bar-b-cue with friends, or even just a simple comfort meal at home, this dish always delivers rich, creamy and easy-to-enjoy flavors! Chef Chaza’s favorite Mac ‘n Cheese recipe uses professional kitchen techniques to extract the most delicious creamy and crunchy textures, making a wonderful heavenly delight!
Time to Prepare: 1 hour 15 Minutes (30 mins Prep + 45 mins Bake)
Click HERE To view Chef Chaza cooking Baked Mac and Cheese on YouTube
Ingredients for Baked Macaroni and Cheese:
1 lb Pasta – Chef Chaza uses Cevatappi (not Cavatelli)
½ Gallon – Milk
½ to ¾ Cup – Panko Breadcrumbs
¼ to 1/3 Cup – All Purpose Flour
4 Tbsp (1/2 Stick) – Butter
1 Tbsp – Salt
¼ Tsp – Spanish Paprika
½ Tsp – Celery Salt
¼ Tsp – Ground Mustard
1 lb – Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
½ lb – Colby Cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and boil a pot of water
And as soon as the water boils add 4 to 5 tablespoons of Salt (so water is salty as the ocean)
Shred the Cheese
Add pasta to the boiling salty water and set timer to remove for six minutes, so it cooks ‘al dente’
Make some Béchamel…
In a large saucepan put all of the half a stick of butter except two tablespoons (for the Panko breadcrumbs and to butter the Mac and Cheese pan)
Add Flour after the butter starts cooking, do not overcook or burn the butter. This is the Roux. Instead cook until flour is a very light blonde color (before adding the Milk), as a dark roux usually would need more Flour
Add a little bit of Milk at a time to prevent clumping; break-up any clumps that do form, the Béchamel should have a smooth, silky texture. When the Béchamel feels smooth and that the Milk is incorporated with the Butter Flour mixture or with my roux mixture, add the rest of the Milk and season with Salt and Black Pepper. Add enough Milk for a very thin Béchamel (the cheese is going to make it nice and thick and creamy).
Check the Pasta to make sure it’s ‘al dente,’ and drain when cooked enough (do not overcook)
Béchamel should start boiling and thickening, taste to make sure it has enough salt and pepper, and that it doesn’t have a raw flour taste anymore. Continue stirring to bring to boil.
Reserving two cups of cheese to put on top at the end, add most of the cheese into the Béchamel as soon as it boils and TURN OFF THE HEAT so Cheese melts but does not boil (cheese should melt quickly). Check to make sure there’s enough Salt and Pepper (do this constantly throughout cooking so it doesn’t taste like both were only added at the end).
Pour most of the Béchamel over the pasta and delicately stir so sauce is thick and evenly spread, reserve a cup or two on the side. The pasta should be “swimming” in the Béchamel.
Assemble the Mac and Cheese into a baking pan, stating by generously Buttering the dish to prevent the Mac and Cheese from sticking when serving
Sprinkle a little bit of breadcrumbs at the bottom (for a double crunch factor top and bottom), then pour the Mac and Cheese Béchamel into the pan (be generous with the sauce because nothing worse than dry Mac and Cheese!)
Put leftover sauce on the top
Make layers of Panko then Cheese then Butter then Panko again
Put a couple dots of Butter on top of the Panko.
Put pan onto a baking sheet to catch spillover, line baking sheet with tinfoil for easy cleaning. Put into a preheated oven four-hundred degrees for 35 to 45 minutes (depending on the time it takes it to bubble and color the Panko to golden-brown delicious)
Check after 35 minutes, make sure the Panko is golden-brown and sauce is bubbling before removing. Let sit 20 to 30 minutes before serving, and enjoy this most wonderful Baked Mac and Cheese!