Welsh Family Kitchen
Alton Brown's Baked Macaroni and Cheese
The Food Network recognizes this as their most popular recipe.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Procedures:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving. Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.
Notes:
2013-10-23: Not sure why this is so popular. I thought it has way too much bread crumbs on top. It needs a dish bigger than 2 quarts. Next time, Lyd wants to add some diced ham and gruyere and/or parmesan.
12/05/2014
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