Cabot Creamery Seriously Sharp Cheddar Mac N Cheese

I make macaroni and cheese using various cheeses and featuring other decadent ingredients (see Porcini and Lobster Macaroni and Cheese) but for cook outs and casual get-togethers, I love the flavor of Cabot Creamery’s Seriously Sharp Cheddar. Crusted with a Panko topping, this mac n cheese gets rave reviews every time.

Ingredients:

• ½ stick (4 Tbsp.) butter
• 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. each, ground nutmeg, salt and pepper
• 4 cups whole milk or light cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 cups freshly grated Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar
• 1 ½ pounds tubular pasta (I use Barilla Cellentani) cooked 2 minutes less than recommended on package directions, drained

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper

Pasta Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place butter in a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
3. Stir the milk (or light cream) and the heavy cream into the butter/flour mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, whisking often.
4. Slowly add the cheeses, a handful at a time, and stir until fully incorporated.
5. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and mix well.
6. Add cheesy pasta to a 13×9 baking dish.

Topping Directions:

1. Microwave butter in a small dish for 45 seconds. Add Panko and cayenne pepper and stir to incorporate the butter and create a crumbly mixture.
2. Sprinkle Panko mixture over pasta in an even layer.
3. Bake pasta for 15 minutes until Panko topping has lightly browned. Serve at once.

Makes 8 servings.