A creamy and cheesy Mac & Cheese that is made on the stovetop. No need to bake It's good enough right out of the pot.
"*" See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
Start the water for the macaroni. When it comes to a boil, add the macaroni and cook until it is "almost" done, before al dente'. Drain and transfer back to the pot. If you aren't ready to add the béchamel, add a small pat of butter and melt, stirring into the macaroni.
Slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking to combine with the roux (butter/flour mixture), keeping it from clumping. Continue to add the milk, whisking, until you've added 1 cup. Pour in the second cup and increase the heat to medium. Continue to whisk.
Simmer and whisk the béchamel for about 10 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Don't get it too thick because it will thicken even more once it is stirred into the pasta and the cheese is added. (See Kitchen Notes)
Add the parsley, stir and serve immediately.
Macaroni – I know you can make mac & cheese from different types of pastas, but we prefer the little elbows. I think it’s because there is so much more surface area with the smaller pieces so more of the pasta gets coated with the sauce and cheese. Plus it's the way my mama used to do it. :)
Béchamel – The thickness of the béchamel is a factor here. If you get it too thick, then you end up with a gummy pasta. Too thin and the sauce is runny. I usually cook it for about 10 minutes or until, the mixture has reduced by about 1/2 cup. It may seem too thin at this point, but believe me, it thickens once you add it to the pasta and add the cheese. You can continue to cook the sauce over a low heat during this process which helps to better melt the cheese and it thickens the sauce even more.
Herbs – The herb you use can depend on what you are serving this with. We like it with asparagus which make tarragon a great herb to use. If you’re not a big fan of tarragon, then eliminate or substitute with ¼ to ½ tsp. thyme . The fresh parsley works great with the tarragon and cheese. I would not make it optional.
Cheese – The sharp cheddar is excellent keeping this dish quite simple. I don't think it needs a second cheese, but you could topped it with a little Parmesan as Zsuzsa suggests or stir in a second cheese for a more complex flavor.
White cracked pepper – I always use white pepper in my béchamel sauce, but if you don’t have any, black pepper is just fine. A generous amount of pepper is a must in my book.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen