Mac and Cheese

Name: Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Elbow macaroni 250 g; Cheddar cheese 200 g; Milk 2 cup; Butter 30 g; Flour 2 tbsp; Salt 1 tsp; Black pepper 0.5 tsp

Quick answer

Total time: 35 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Grainy mac and cheese usually comes down to two things: flour lumps that never dissolved and cheese that split into grease from too much heat.

Adding the milk in three parts prevents the first, and melting the cheddar over very low heat prevents the second. The macaroni comes out of the water underdone and finishes cooking in the sauce. If baking, the dish stays in the oven only until the top browns, which keeps the inside creamy.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Cook 250 g elbow macaroni in well-salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package time.

Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pasta water, then drain the pasta so it can finish in the sauce.
2

Melt 30 g butter in a pot over low heat, then add 2 tablespoons flour.

Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture looks foamy and the raw flour smell fades, without letting it brown.
3

Add the 2 cups milk in three additions, whisking well after each one so no lumps remain.

Cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring until the sauce coats the whisk lightly.
4

Lower the heat to very low and add 200 g cheddar cheese a little at a time, stirring until just melted.

Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, avoiding high heat so the sauce stays smooth.
5

Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with the reserved pasta water, a spoonful at a time.
6

Serve as soon as the macaroni looks glossy and tastes al dente.

For a baked finish, transfer it to a baking dish and bake only until the top turns golden, so the inside remains creamy.