
Ingredients
Gremolata Breadcrumbs:
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 slices Italian bread
- Small handful flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 oz Parmiggiano
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
White Sauce:
- 3-4 cups milk (you might need more to get the right consistency)
- 1 yellow onion, roughly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinch of chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon black pepper cloves
- 1 garlic clove, halved
Roux:
- 3 oz butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup Gruyere, grated
- 1/2 cup gouda, grated
- 1 cup sharp Cheddar, grated
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 8-12 oz elbow macaroni
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
Gremolata Breadcrumbs:
- Put bread, lemon zest, garlic, parm, and olive oil in a food processor.
- Pulse until well combined and the parm has become small crumbs.
- Add the parsley and pulse a couple of times (you don’t want green bread crumbs).
White Sauce and Roux:
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan with all of the milk ingredients, but be careful not to boil it.
- Add butter to another pot and let it melt.
- Add the flour, and stir to create a roux (this will give something for the cheese to cling to).
- Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.
- While whisking, add the hot milk through a strainer and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.
- Off the heat, add the cheese half the pepper, and nutmeg.
- Salt to taste. Stir well.
Assembly:
- Cook the macaroni according to package instructions.
- Start with about 8 oz and fold into the cheese sauce. If you like more pasta, add more.
- Pour into greased ramekins (or baking dish).
- Put the crumbs on top of the mac and cheese, covering the entire top layer.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes (depending on ramekins or one large baking dish), or until the sauce is bubbly and the crust is browned on top.