Joe Friday Recipes

Classic Mac & Cheese

For the béchamel:
4 cups (1 quart) whole milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 egg yolk
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock (you can also use cubes)
To assemble:
Kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup cubed cheddar
1 pound cooked elbow macaroni or your preferred pasta
8 ounces shredded 2-year aged sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 cups)
3 ounces of Gruyère
3 ounce of Monterey Jack
3 ounces grated Pecorino Romano (about 1 cup)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tablespoons of onion powder
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13"). Set aside
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking
- While water is coming up to a boil, grate cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth
- Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup
- Stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth