Panko Crusted Macaroni and Cheese
The bread crumbs add a little oomph to this Panko Crusted Macaroni and Cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 2 c. heavy cream
- 2 c. whole milk
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 c. grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
- Course salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 baking pan.
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Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente 9-10 minutes. Drain.
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Combine the cream, milk, and cayenne in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and reduce by half, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the cheddar and Jack cheeses, and whisk until well-blended. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add the macaroni and stir vigorously (being careful not to break the pasta). This will release starch and help to thicken the sauce. Pour or spoon pasta into prepared baking dish.
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Combine the panko, parsley, and Parmesan and sprinkle over the pasta. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
[My two cents]
You can use any kind of noodle you have, but my preference is elbow macaroni. That just seems right doesn't it? You could definitely lighten this recipe up a bit by using half-n-half instead of heavy cream and much less of it of course. You can also cut down the cheese and save some calories there. I probably should have done both of those - but sometimes you just want a dish with full fat!
Adapted from Newspaper clipping - "Macaroni and Cheese Recipes from Simple to Sublime" by Joan Schwartz (Villard,2001)