Macaroni with Four Cheeses and Crumb Topping

This macaroni and cheese magically brokers a truce between children’s cravings for a creamy, classic dish and the adult desire for something more sophisticated than bright yellow box fare. Everyone loves this version. The trick is using four cheeses: Cheddar + fontina + Gruyère+ Parmigiano-Reggiano = luxury on a plate.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

TOPPING:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup bread crumbs (preferably panko, the Japanese variety now available in many supermarkets)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

MACARONI:

• ½ pound elbow macaroni (half the box)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the baking dish
• 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup coarsely grated fontina cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and position the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with the bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stirring well. Set aside.
3. Make the macaroni: Butter a 1-to 1½-quart glass or ceramic baking dish or a 9-inch pie dish and set it aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water and drain the macaroni in a colander.
4. Make the cheese sauce: In a small heavy saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat and whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook the mixture (called a roux), whisking constantly, for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk. Turn the heat up to high and bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, whisking occasionally, for 2 minutes longer. Add the cheeses, whisking, until melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, reserved cooking water, and cheese sauce, stirring to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over the macaroni and bake 20 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

VARIATION 1: SPICY MEXICAN MAC AND CHEESE

• 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (optional)
• Tortilla chips, finely crushed

Prepare as above, but use shredded Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese instead of the four-cheese blend, and stir cayenne, ground cumin, dried oregano, and chili powder—and, if desired, chicken—into the cheese sauce. Omit the bread crumb topping and use finely crushed tortilla chips as the topping instead.

VARIATION 2: ITALIAN MAC AND CHEESE

• 2½ cups shredded mozzarella or fontina cheese
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

Prepare as above, but instead of the four-cheese blend, use mozzarella or fontina cheese and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir tomatoes into the cheese sauce, and omit the reserved pasta cooking water.

VARIATION 3: MIXED MUSHROOM MAC AND CHEESE:

• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups Gruyère cheese

Sauté shallots and mushrooms in butter and olive oil over moderate heat, until softened.Instead of the four-cheese blend, use Gruyère cheese, and stir the mushroom mixture into the cheese sauce.

Glamour girl tip:

• Buy solid cheeses and blend them all—minus the Parmigiano-Reggiano—together in a food processor.
• If the grocery doesn’t have fontina or Gruyère, replace with any other semisoft or hard white cheeses, taking care to avoid feta and blue cheese.