The “Best” Mac & Cheese, You Choose.

I don’t know why I keep trying to perfect a dish I don’t even really like. I make a great mac and cheese (or so I’ve been told) and I keep wondering what all the fuss is about. If you are a Mac & Cheese lover, then this might be what you’re looking for. If you still cling to the sacred blue box of fluorescent-orange mac and cheese of your childhood, well this may not be for you. The key to this, as most recipes, is great ingredients. Get the good cheese, an imported Fontina, Point Reyes Blue Cheese (or similar) and of course, Parmigiano-Reggiano.

1 pound penne pasta Cheese Sauce 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted 3 tablespoons flour 16 ounces milk 16 ounces cream, heavy 5 ounces Fontina Cheese, grated 3 ounces Blue Cheese, crumbled 1 ½ ounces Parmesan Reggiano, grated salt, as needed black pepper, freshly ground, as needed Topping 4 slices country-style bread olive oil, a few drops salt, as needed black pepper, freshly ground, as needed 1 ounce Parmesan Reggiano, grated 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted, melted Optional 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into large batons 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon sage, fresh, chopped 1. For the squash (if using): Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the squash in a bowl drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with the sage, and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan, place in the oven, and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and reserve. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne, stir, and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander and hold under cold running water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a large bowl, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and toss to coat. 3. To make the cheese sauce, in a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour, then whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes to cook away the raw flour taste. Slowly add the milk and cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Raise the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until reduced by a third. Remove from the heat, add all of the cheeses, and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper and reserve. 4. To make the topping, trim any crusts from the bread and cut the bread into cubes. Place the cubes into a food processor and pulse to form fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl, add the oil, season with salt and pepper, then toss to mix. Add the Parmesan and the sage, stir to mix. 5. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the cheese sauce and squash (if using) to the pasta and stir to mix well. Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and scatter the topping evenly over the surface. 6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until heated through, the topping is lightly browned, and the cheese sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Now this recipe WILL compete with the blue box and blow it out of the water. This is a Bahamian dish, brought, I suppose, by the British and then adapted with cheddar. It is very simple to make and kid approved. We served this in my restaurant in Bimini every day for lunch. The staff would snack on the dry crusty remains in the pan the rest of the day. Of course, everything tastes better in paradise, especially with a Kalik or two.

Macaroni And Cheese, Bahamian